#aleppoisburning - the hashtag has been
trending on Twitter for some time now,
accompanied
by photographs of ruined buildings and
the chaos of injured bodies. The beautiful
Syrian city is indeed burning, left with
empty streets and bombed-out shells
which occupy the space where examples
of the city's fine architecture once stood.
But one question goes unanswered:
if Aleppo is burning, who set the city
alight?
Western governments, rights groups, and
mainstream media point to the crimes
of the 'Assad regime' in Aleppo. They
express rage at the killing of civilians, and
publish images of war-scarred children
to tug at our heartstrings, begging us to
condemn the tyranny.
In their hue and cry over the crimes of
the 'regime', they ignore the brutal reality
of children murdered by US-backed
terrorists, of neighbourhoods shattered by
their hell-cannons and weapons supplied
by Western allies. It is, in fact, the US and
their allies who set the city and the country
alight, but this is never mentioned.
Stories from Aleppo are reported without
regard to fairness, context, or even basic
journalistic accuracy and fact-checking.
Are we to ignore the deaths of 30 of
Aleppo's citizens on July 20 - at the hands
of the US-backed al-Nusra Front? (now
rebranded as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, or
the Front for the Conquest of the Levant)
Do their lives mean less simply because
they are on the side of the city under
Syrian government control? Likewise,
should we ignore the brutal beheading
of a 12-year-old boy by these so-called
'moderate rebels' earlier this summer?
And beyond Aleppo, what of the US
airstrike which killed at least 73 civilians
in northern Syria in July? The media
maintains an unconscionable silence on
these horrific crimes.
Syria is also facing a humanitarian crisis
on many levels. According to UNICEF,

2

FIRE THIS TIME

access to water in
areas with the most
fighting has been
reduced by 75%. This
has caused an increase
in easily preventable
diseases.
Young
children are often
the worst affected by
the lack of available
sanitation
facilities
and drinkable water.
The Syrian health
care system has been
decimated as well,
with the World Health Organization
reporting that 57% of Syria's hospitals
have been damaged and 37% are no
longer functioning. A staggering number
of people have died as a result of lack
of access to health care - the Syrian
American Medical Association estimates
around 300,000. It is truly a tragedy to
see these senseless deaths in a country
which once boasted one of the best health
care systems in the region.
WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IN
SYRIA?

The media has left all context out of their
story on situation in Aleppo, reporting
as though it is a one-sided attack by the
Syrian government on its own citizen.
What is in fact happening in the city is a
pitched battle for the very future of Syria.
The war in Syria began in 2011, when
so-called ‘rebels’ backed by the US,
Turkey, and Saudi Arabia began an
armed uprising against the Syrian
government. The Pentagon launched a
$500 million program to support and
train these ‘rebels’. Though that program
has been cancelled, the New York Times
reported in October 2015 that the CIA
continues to support ‘significantly larger’
programs of the same kind. With foreign
support, these armed insurgents quickly
gained ground. Despite the known ties
to al-Qaeda among some of the rebels,
the US labelled them as the ‘moderate
opposition’. Not surprisingly, backing
these Islamist groups and destabilizing
the country created an opening for the

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

terrorists of Daesh, or ISIS, to gain
significant control in Syria. Today,
dozens of factions battle for ground in
Syria, each with their own interests.
Now we come to Aleppo, Syria’s major
commercial centre and an important
weapons supply route for the terrorist
organizations which call themselves
‘rebels’. Since the beginning of the
war, the city has been divided primarily
between Syrian government control and
terrorist control. In the beginning of
2016, the Syrian army began to make
gains against the terrorist groups that
control half of Aleppo. By the end of
July, the army had Aleppo surrounded
and had cut off the last weapons supply
route of the terrorists. It was around
this time that Western governments and
their supporters in the media began the
#aleppoisburning campaign in order to
pressure the Syrian government and their
allies to stop their military campaign
(which would of course allow the rebels
to regain control of their supply routes).
In fact, the British newspaper Daily Mail
reported on August 6 that at least 130
civilians had been killed in less than
a week - mostly by rebel shelling of
government-controlled Aleppo.
U.S. GOAL REMOVE ASSAD, NOT
DAESH

The war in Syria never was a ‘civil’ war
- from the beginning it was created by
US intervention. The US government
has long had its sights set on removing
President Assad from power. The
Washington Post reported in 2011 that the

US government had been funding illegal
organizations in Syria since 2006, whose
aim was to promote unrest and opposition
to the government. US President Obama
has repeatedly called for Assad’s ouster.
From the Wall Street Journal, November
2015:
“The reason is not simply because of my
opinion of [President Assad]. It is because
it is unimaginable that you can stop the
civil war here when the overwhelming
majority of people in Syria consider
him to be a brutal, murderous dictator,”
Mr. Obama said. “He cannot regain
legitimacy. And if
in fact he is still in
power, regardless
of what outside
powers do, there
is still going to be
large portions of
the population that
are fighting.”

which otherwise would have been met
with a great deal more resistance from
war-weary US citizens and rank-and-file
military members. They armed ‘rebels’
knowing full well that many of them had
ties to extremist Islamist organizations,
including al-Qaeda.
The inevitable rise of Daesh provided
the justification the US needed to expand
its intervention in the country under the
guise of ‘fighting terrorism’.
TURKEY AND US EXPAND
INTERVENTION

as well - namely pushing back the
expansion of Kurdish territory, which
Turkey fears will strengthen the fight for
Kurdish independence within its own
borders. This adds yet another level of
factionalism to the war in Syria, as the
Turkish army is now fighting the Kurds,
with whom the US had been working
with until last week. This is just one
further confrontation which threatens to
tear apart the fabric of Syrian society.
DEMAND AN END TO IMPERIALIST
INTERVENTION IN SYRIA!

This significant escalation of intervention
in their country
will not ‘help’ the
people of Syria
one bit in their
battle
against
Daesh. The US
and their allies
helped to create
Daesh and other
Islamist groups
Obama’s
claims
in the first place
about
Syrian
- they will not
Before and After War. Aleppo, Syria
Before and After War. Aleppo, Syria
lack of support
stop them now.
for Assad are
As for Syria’s
categorically false.
internal problems
London-based
and
struggles,
research
firm
including
the
ORB International
question of who
conducted a poll in
they would like
2015 which found
to have as leader
that 47% of Syrians
of their country,
described Assad as
these are issues
‘having a positive
for
Syrians
influence in Syria’
to decide for
compared to 26% for the opposition Despite repeated assurances by Obama themselves.
groups. Syrian support for Assad was that the US military would not be directly
also verified by his re-election in 2014 intervening in Syria, there are now 300 Poor and working people, peace loving
in a vote which was internationally US troops in the country and a number people, and social justice activists around
monitored.
of warplanes in the skies, regularly the world must rally together in defence
conducting airstrikes. However, the of Syria’s right to self-determination and
The US has set its sights on the removal US has been looking for an opening to for an end to this brutal and senseless war.
of Assad not for ‘humanitarian reasons’ intervene further and they have found it Only the capitalist class of imperialist
but because it views the independent in their close ally, Turkey. On August 24, countries stands to benefit from this war,
government of Syria as a threat to its the Turkish military launched Operation which will only kill, maim, and displace
interests in the region, which include Euphrates Shield, a ground invasion millions more people as it drags on.
gaining access to important trade markets by Turkish troops, which was closely
and resources ahead of growing economic coordinated with the US and supported The importance of defending Syria
competitors such as China and Russia. It by US air strikes. Although the official extends well beyond the borders of that
is also in the US interest to maintain a Turkish pretext for this operation is the nation, though: it is truly a question
military presence next door to Iran, The protection of the Turkish border from of defending the entire world from the
US would prefer a Syrian government Daesh, in reality it is a significant move threat both war. Millions of lives have
which bows to US political, military and towards opening the country for further already been lost in Iraq, Afghanistan,
economic interests.
intervention. For the first time, a NATO Syria, Libya, Palestine and beyond.
member state will have ‘boots on the The rising exodus of people from their
The US needed this manufactured ground’ in the country.
war-torn homelands is destabilizing
‘civil war’ in order to legitimize their
neighbouring countries, whose limited
intervention in the country, a move Turkey has its own interests in Syria
continued on page 38
FIRE THIS TIME

Below is the Part 1 of an extensive
interview by Fire This Time (FTT) with
the Venezuelan Ambassador to Canada,
His Excellency Wilmer Omar Barrientos
Fernández. The next part of this interview
will be printed in the next issue of Fire This
Time (Volume 10, Issue 10 - October):
Fire This Time: A recent article in the
news magazine USA Today claimed
that Venezuela is “worst economic and
humanitarian crisis in its history.” This
article is only one of many from mainstream
media that spread certain views of the
United States government. For example
they show time and time again how
thousands of Venezuelan people are going
to Colombia daily to buy basic goods. What
is your response to this?
Amb. Barrientos: In reality, in Venezuela
there is an economic crisis caused mainly
by the fall in oil prices and also by the by
the improper use of fracking which has
flooded the oil product market; but there
is also a plot by the hegemonic powers
associated with the Venezuelan oligarchy
that has strongly influenced the shortages
of products and medicines through a
despicable method that the government
has called economic war. Add to this the

attack on the currency, and that is, I believe,
a terrible imbalance in the economic
apparatus. I think that the directors of
this attack have prematurely announced
this humanitarian crisis, for which they
themselves are working towards, in order to
create a great discontent among the people.
President Maduro has publicly accepted, as
has our Foreign Minister, that we have an
economic crisis which is the same as that
facing other oil producing countries. The
foreign currency revenue from oil sales in
January 2016 was $77 million, while in the
same month six years ago it stood at $3.317
trillion, representing a fall of greater than
4200%. However, we are taking this on as a
great opportunity to diversify the economy,
and to wean off of the oil rentier model.
What has been happening in Venezuela has
not been a coincidence. It is clear that other
expeditious ways of unconstitutional actions
are exhausted at both an international and a
national level, and yet they have not resulted
in the desired objectives; economic warfare
and financial aggression in the absence
of political outcomes as been severely
affecting the business and financial sectors
of the country; attempts to reactivate the
“guarimbas” [violent, opposition led riots]
are not reaching the necessary maturity in
a society that does not want more violence,
and rejects any action that threatens national
peace.
We
cannot
forget
the
agents that have
caused
this
crisis; for this
crisis has not
come from one
day to another.
I will explain
some of the
mechanisms
that have been
used for this
purpose.
1. War against

Alison Bodine, Wilmer Barrientos Fernández and Tamara Hansen at the Venezuela the currency
Solidarity Conference in Ottawa August 7, 2016
The original

cause and the trigger of the economic
destabilization is the manipulation of the
exchange rate of the Venezuelan currency
on the parallel market. This has two
effects that generate a vicious cycle in the
economy:
• It increases the National Index of
Consumer Prices (INPC), deteriorating
the real wages of the working class in the
country through the loss of purchasing
power, it reconfigures the structure of
household expenditures and decreases the
demand for non-essential goods, resulting
in reduced production and increases in
unemployment.
• It distorts the exchange market, increasing
the gap between the preferential rate and
the parallel rate, which generates benefits
for the private sector based on currency
speculation alone, and they no longer
import the necessary goods, thereby
increasing shortages.
A small but important business sector
also manipulates the flow of dollars in
the parallel market and alongside “Dollar
Today” this business sector spearheads the
promotion of speculation and usury.
2. Planned Shortages, Smuggling Hoarding
• There has been a relative decline in
imports in kilograms with respect to an
increase in imports for dollars.
• There is a hoarding of essential, mainly
non-perishable, goods; goods for which the
production and distribution is handled by
monopolies or oligopolies that coordinate
transactions.
• There is extractive smuggling.
• Consumer expectations have changed

since the rise to the presidency of the
Commander Hugo Chavez, now there is
an expanded demand for goods and people
have greater purchasing power than before.
FTT: What has Venezuela done in order
to defend the Venezuelan people in this
situation and to ensure that there is no
humanitarian crisis?
Ambassador Barrientos: Constitutional
validity has been granted by the Supreme
Court to the emergency economic decree as
well as to the implementation of the plan
towards “16 production engines” We invite
everyone to learn more about the potential
and scope of the “production engines” by
visiting our website (www.misionvenezuela
.org).
The President has taken extraordinary
measures to end the economic crisis in
several dimensions, such as measures
taken to fight against the attack on the
currency through mechanisms such as
“Dollar Today.” Measures have also been
taken against the attack on the system of
distribution of goods and services.
We have also demonstrated that there is
system of international boycott that has
only one goal, and that is to bring Venezuela
to its knees. This is a form of war without
face, a war of putting pressure the people. It
is a battle that emerges from the economy,
from global geopolitics, it is the oil war.
Despite all of the budgetary constraints
caused by the economic crisis, we have
established specific policies to protect
the people. That is why we do not accept
blackmailing by those who are trying to label
this situation as a violation of human rights
or a humanitarian crisis. To the contrary, we
have enacted concrete measures to protect
the people. I will explain below six of the
concrete actions we that have been taken to
achieve this objective:
1. A new system of food production,
distribution and commercialization which:
• Has created a single corporation for
food services and production in order

to unify the logistics which were before
divided into three corporations: CVAL,
Mercal and Abastos Bicentenario. This
single corporation will now run the direct
distribution centres for the community
markets.

of oil revenue, new exports and new
foreign exchange earnings, attracting
investment and the injection of dollars
into the Venezuelan economic system and
the introduction of a dual-band exchange
system.

• Stresses the importance of the original
force of communal supplies, people power
is responsible for the distribution of food
through a new system of producers.

• As of February 18, the protected exchange
rate went from 6.30 to 10 Bolivars per
dollar in priority areas for the nation.

2. A new system for the guarantee of real
costs and prices
• New prices based on actual costs and a
maximum retail price. The Law of Fair
Prices is applied to essential goods and
services for the people. To this end, the
President set up a general staff that will
handle pricing and restructuring of the
Food Mission.
3. A new gasoline price scheme
• The new price per liter of gasoline is one
Bolivar (1BS) per liter (91 octane) and six
bolivars (6BS) per liter (95 octane). These
new prices came into effect last February
19 in the 600,000 gas stations operating in
Venezuela. The resources generated by this
increase in prices were allocated to system
of Missions as established by the Organic
Law of Missions, the Great Missions
and Micro Missions. 30 percent of all of
these new resources were allocated to the
Transport Mission for the allocation of
credit and renewal of the fleet.
• It is noteworthy that Venezuela has the
cheapest gasoline in the world. In the US a
liter of gasoline costs 78 cents, in Colombia
and Venezuela it is 1.1 cent, just 0.01 cent
on the dollar.
• That does not mean that Venezuela is
increasing the prices of this item for the
people, on the contrary, this subsidy has
been maintained, every liter of fuel costs
PDVSA 1.87 Bolivars, at the same time,
the Venezuelan consumer pays just 0.09
Bolivars.

FOLLOW
THE VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO CANADA
HIS EXCELLENCY
WILMER BARRIENTOS FERNÁNDEZ
ON TWITTER!

^

^

@PatriaEficiente
@EmbaVenezCanada

4. A new system for the
creation, acquisition,
investment
and
management
of
foreign exchange
• The new currency
system is composed of
five vital components:
the National Plan of
Currency created in
2014, the defense

• The exchange rate system is simplified
into two bands: a protected exchange rate,
which starting on February 18, replaced
the Sicad and a floating complementary
system, which replaced Simadi. The
protected exchange rate is set at 10 Bolivars
per dollar and will apply in four strategic
areas: health, missions and large missions,
food and production incentives.
5. Plan for strengthening employment
protection, wages and pensions
• A plan for investment in public works
to build new infrastructure and generate
quality workplaces, this plan received
120 billion Bolivars in 2015. In 2016, the
government approved 190 billion Bolivars.
• An increase in the minimum wage (for both
workers and pensioners). A wage increase
of 20 percent, and a further 2.5 percent
increase based on bonus calculations, has
recently come into effect. This is the 33rd
yearly consecutive wage increase in 17
years of the Bolivarian Revolution.
• The introduction of a social missions card.
This is a mechanism to secure the social
programs and funding to families for food
and health through Mercal, FarmaPatria
and Pdval, as part of a new complementary
system of protection, support and promotion
of the capacities of Venezuelan families.
6. Tax revolution plan
• Installing a new electronic and digital
billing to allow transparent tax collection
and avoid tax evasion that has been
successful in Ecuador.
• Internal taxation has contributed 90
percent of the revenue needed to sustain the
country and uphold the State missions and
great social missions.
• In 2015, tax revenue accounted for 90
percent of revenue to the nation. This
allowed the state to maintain investment in
education, public works, housing, wages,
jobs and pensions, even amid falling oil
revenues.
FTT: Can you also talk about the thousands
of Venezuelans that go to Colombia for the
continued on page 34

5. Plan reforzado de
protección de empleo,
salarios y pensiones
FIRE THIS TIME

^

@PatriaEficiente
@EmbaVenezCanada

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

7

By Thomas Davies

The infamous Bill C-51 has
had many names. Its full name
when first introduced by the
Conservative government in
2015 was, “An Act to enact the
Security of Canada Information
Sharing Act and the Secure
Air Travel Act, to amend the
Criminal Code, the Canadian
Security Intelligence Service Act
and the Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act and to make related
and consequential amendments to
other Acts.” A real tongue twister of
human rights abuses. They then tried
to shorten it to the more sound-bite
worthy, “Anti-Terrorism Act 2015”.
As the protests against it grew across
Canada, it soon became known by
the more accurate “Police State Act”
or “Secret Police Act”.
Since the Liberals won the Federal
Election over 9 months ago, it’s been
“The Bill Which Shall Not be Named”
as they’ve done everything they can to
avoid committing to anything concrete
to address the huge concerns raised by
practically every single legal, human
rights, civil rights and media organization
in Canada.
Whatever you call it, under the fake
pretext of “fighting terrorism”, Bill C-51
is a massive attack on our fundamental
human and democratic rights. More
specifically though, it targets poor and
working people in an attempt to scare,
divide and dismantle the inevitable
fightback
against
the
Canadian
government’s continuing policies of war,
occupation and cutbacks.
Criminalizing Dissent
Among Bill C-51’s many provisions
is the one which expands the definition
of terrorism to, “interference with the
capability of the Government in relation
to... the economic or financial stability of
Canada.”
A fundamental right and powerful tool
of worker’s is to go on strike. Refusing
to go to work until the employer has
agreed to certain conditions has won
better wages, the 40 hour work week,
health and safety requirements, maternity
leave, overtime pay and every other
basic right employees have. Not because
employers decided out of the goodness of
their hearts to provide these things, but

8

FIRE THIS TIME

Protest in Toronto against War Measures Act 1970

Bill C-51:

An Attack on Poor and Working People in Canada
because workers were forced to withhold
their labour to force employers to act
more fairly. Under Bill C-51, a strike by
bus drivers for better safety conditions
could easily fit Bill C-51’s definition
of “terrorism”, as could countless other
strikes to defend our rights at work.
The right to peaceful protest is also
directly targeted. Community members
participating in a union picket line around
a business which unfairly fires workers
fits the description. As does a march
and rally demanding justice for missing
and murdered indigenous women which
temporarily blocks traffic downtown.
Likely targets are also indigenous groups
who assert that the government commit to
its promise to follow through with the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
People. This requires “free, prior and
informed consent” before anything
happens on their territories. With a fragile
economy and lots of immediate cash to
be made through resource extraction
projects on indigenous lands, Bill C-51
could easily be used to squash legitimate
land defence.
Meanwhile, interception of Canadians
private communications increased by 26
times last year according to the annual
report of the Office of the Commissioner
of the Communications Security
Establishment.

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

The Liberals have promised to protect
“lawful” protest, but that’s not fair when
practically every major strike in Canada
in the last two decades has been declared
“illegal” by Federal or Provincial
governments. According to the Canadian
Foundation for Labour Rights, “In the last
three decades, the federal government
alone passed 19 pieces of back-to-work
legislation while provincial governments
across the country have enacted 71 pieces
of back-to-work legislation.”
Climate of Fear
Under Bill C-51 there are also new broad,
vague and dangerous powers provided for
targeting those “advocating or promoting
terrorism”. The Canadian Civil Liberties
Association said this would “chill free
speech” as, “...the offence is overbroad
because the range of conduct that may
be captured under ‘terrorism offences’
is extensive and there are no reasonable
defences when charged.”
Both the Conservatives and the Liberals
have been unwilling or unable to explain
what this new offence really means, while
legal experts continue to say it could
mean anything. Meanwhile, poor and
working people in Canada are faced with
the knowledge that participation in any
number of political activities could find

them unjustly targeted by the government
and stuck in some unregulated legal
nightmare.
We have been told repeatedly just to trust
the government, the police and the secret
police not to abuse these undefined new
powers, but Bill C-51 allows for so much
secrecy we aren’t even able to hold them
accountable for their use.
During Fire This Time’s participation in
many social justice petition campaigns,
we are consistently met with people who
say they “support what the petition says”
but cannot sign it for fear of, “ending up
on some government list”. The fear is
already real. We need to question what
kind of political atmosphere we live
under in Canada when people are already
afraid to sign petitions or participate
publicly in legal political activities,
or even speak their minds, for fear of
government targeting. Bill C-51 only
adds fuel to this fire.
Imperialist governments around
the world know that they
are not going to be able
to convince poor
and working
people
t h a t
more wars
and
more
cutbacks are a
good idea. They
also know that
if they can create
an
environment
where people are
afraid to speak up and
organize, they will be
free
to continue their antihuman
policies.
Historical and International Context
“We must also be conscious of the fact
that the wartime attacks usually open
with racism, but always move quickly to
target political opponents - especially
those representing working class
interests such as trade unions and trade
union organizers. This is no accident,
as the working class and their allies
represent the most serious threat to
imperialist governments and their war
agendas. When workers refuse to fight
in wars, refuse to produce war products,
refuse to ship war products, refuse to
participate in anything related to war the imperialist war machine comes to a
standstill. The Canadian government has
known this during every one of its war

campaigns, and has therefore always
made a deliberate attempt to attack
working class organizations.”
- Fire This Time, Volume 9 Issue 9. “Bill
C-51: Why you Should Be C o n c e r n e d
About It and Why You Should Fight
Against It”
During World War I, government fear
campaigns and targeting of Ukrainians,
Austrians and Germans moved almost
immediately to attacks on trade unions
and arrests of antiwar organizers.
During World War II, racist attacks on
Japanese, Italians and Germans again
moved quickly to attacks on working
class organizations and silencing antiwar
voices. Bill C-51 was justified
by former Prime Minister
Stephen Harper under the
supposed threat of
Muslim “jihadi

terrorists”,
and again puts
the government in
a position to crack down
against opposition to its expensive
wars, occupations and sanctions
against such countries as Afghanistan,
Iraq, Syria, Libya, Mali and Iran. It also
puts the government in a much better
position to any workers or trade unions
whose defense of their rights does not fit
with the government’s cutback agenda.
It is also important to be aware how
exactly the same strategies and policies
are being used by the other imperialist
countries involved in these wars and
occupations. Take a look at the wars, and
islamophobic rhetoric and human rights
violating “anti-terrorism” laws passed
by the United States, United Kingdom,
France, Germany and Australia. It’s
pretty obvious that they are all reading
from the same play book!
Human
Rights,
Civil
Rights,
Democratic Rights, All Under Attack,
What Do We Do? Stand up, Fight
Back!
FIRE THIS TIME

Last August, the Union of BC Indian
Chiefs issued a press release which
warned that, “The Indigenous Unist’ot’en
Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation in
northwestern BC are on high alert about
a likely impending large scale RCMP
mass arrest operation on their territory.
The RCMP have made a number of
visits to the Unist’ot’en as well as other
First Nations leadership regarding the
Unist’ot’en community’s active exercise
of their Aboriginal Title and Rights
to protect their lands from oil and gas
development.”
As pipeline clearing work
moved closer to the camp,
both the press release
and many news articles
speculated that Bill C-51
could be used to legalize
the dismantling of
the camp which the
Unist’ot’en have
maintained since
2009, and which
is
blocking
seven pipelines
that do not have
Unist’ot’en consent to use
their land.
The Unist’ot’en camp stood strong, and
hundreds of organizations and individuals
signed on to a well distributed public
statement demanding the RCMP respect
their rights. Under the glare of the public
eye, the RCMP were forced to issue their
own press release stating that the police
force, “has no intention of ‘taking down
the camp’ set up.”
A year later and the camp is still standing,
and is an important example of what me
must continue to do under Bill C-51. We
must continue to educate, to organize and
to mobilize not only against Bill C-51,
but to continue all of the vital social
justice campaigns which are so necessary
across the country. We must gain strength
from knowing that the government
wouldn’t be trying to take away our
rights if they weren’t worried about what
would happen if we fully exercised them.
We must continue to stand our ground, to
hold public space and refuse to be silent
in the face of those who want to silence
us. Ultimately this is how poor and
working people will defeat Bill C-51, and
continue building the better world we all
know is so possible and so necessary.
Follow Thomas Davies on Twitter:
@thomasdavies59

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•

•
By Tamara Hansen

“They think they know about Indians,”
she says, of non-Indigenous Canada.
“They have this belief, that’s taught to
them from birth, that everything Native
people face is our own choice.” - Chelsea
Vowel, Métis educator and writer
“You can see that the racial tension is
basically a tinder box in Saskatchewan,”
- Robert Innes, professor of Indigenous
studies at the University of Saskatchewan
“[Saskatchewan] Premier Brad Wall
naively pointed out that racism has no
place in Saskatchewan when in fact,
it’s a part of this provinces fabric for
generations.” – Doug Cuthand, author,
journalist and member of the Little Pine
First Nation
The Story of Colten Boushie
On August 9, 2016 five youth riding in a
vehicle in rural Saskatchewan pulled into
a farm looking for help after they got a flat
tire. Instead, their vehicle was attacked
by a farmer with a loaded gun. One of
the youths was shot and killed on the
spot, this young 22-year-old First Nations
man’s name was Colten Boushie.
In a CBC website article, journalist Devin
Heroux outlines the position of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) from
their press release dated August 10, 2016.
Heroux writes, “According to RCMP,
five people were in a vehicle that entered
a farmyard in the Rural Municipality of
Glenside. The owners of the property
did not know the people in the vehicle.
A verbal exchange happened and a shot
was fired, striking Boushie. He was
pronounced dead at the scene.”
However the RCMP release also alludes to

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these youth being criminals. It states, “One
adult male [Gerald Stanley] associated to
the property was arrested by police at the
scene without incident. Three occupants
from the vehicle, including two females
(one being a youth) and one adult male
were taken into custody as part of a related
theft investigation. Another male youth is
being sought.” In the end no charges were
laid against any of the youth.
Colten Boushie’s friend, Eric Meechance,
who was in the car with him that fateful
day, has been speaking out and making
sure reporters hear his version of events.
Meechance explains that the five youth
had been swimming and on their way
back to the Red Pheasant First Nation got
a flat tire. In the vehicle was Colten, Eric,
their girlfriends and another male friend.

vehicle and I just heard a shot go off -boom,” he said.
Meechance said he heard more shots as
he scrambled for cover, passing a woman
who he said had been mowing the lawn at
the home.
“I just ran past her and I just ran right to
the bush and then all of a sudden there was
a STARS air ambulance flying over me,”
he said.
Meechance said he was picked up several
minutes later by a police canine unit some
distance from the Stanley property.
“I just started walking on the road because
I had nothing to hide, you know? I knew
the cops were coming.”

He said he only learned after being
arrested that Boushie, 22, had died after
being shot.

“All of a sudden some guy, he just came
out and he just smashed our windshield,”
he said.

Meechance said he was speaking
out because of accounts alleging a
confrontation with Stanley. He said he
wanted to make it clear he and his friends
didn’t go to Stanley’s farm to cause
trouble.”

From there, Meechance said his friend
tried to drive away.
“He couldn’t really see because the
windshield was cracked, it was all
spidered across,” he said.
Meechance said they hit a vehicle parked in
the yard and that’s when he and the driver
got out and took off running. Meechance
said as far as he knew, Boushie and the
two girlfriends were still in the car at that
point.
He said he was still running when the man
allegedly opened fire.
“We were maybe like 10, 15 feet from the

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Farmer Gerald Stanley, 54, has been
charged with second-degree murder,
he pled “not guilty” in court on August
18, 2016 and was released on bail for
only $10,000. Scott Spencer, Stanley’s
lawyer explained in a statement: “The
circumstances of the incident are not
as simple as some media reports have
portrayed,” the statement continued,
“Although the rampant speculation and
misinformation is frustrating, it is not
the place for, or reasonable to expect,
the Stanley family to correct the public
record.” While it is true that there has
been a publication ban on court hearings,

and Gerald Stanley has not presented
his account of events to the media, it is
pretty clear that Colten Boushie was killed
because of deep rooted racism in the area
he grew up in, and the decision of Stanley
to shoot first and ask questions later.
If there was any doubt that Colten
Boushie’s death is related to racism and
unjust stereotypes against Indigenous
people in Canada, the discussions on
social media cleared up the doubt pretty
quick.
Canada’s Racists Respond
Headlines across Canada expressed
clearly how there was an explosion of
racism towards Boushie and his First
Nations Community on social media
following his murder. The headlines read:
August 19: “DIGGING DEEPER:
Investigating social media’s racist side
in wake of fatal Biggar, Sask. shooting”
(Global News)
August 20: “Social media comments could
be criminal: Mounties” (Toronto Sun)
August 20: “Colten Boushie Shooting:
Online Comments Can Be Criminal, Sask.
Police Warn” (Huffington Post)
August 21: “Sask. councillor regrets social
media post about Colten Boushie shooting
death, says wife” (CBC News)
August 22: “Colten Boushie’s death
continues to cause social media firestorm”
(Global News)
The most widely cited racist vitriol
was the comment of Ben Kautz, a town
councillor for Browning, Saskatchewan.
He posted publicly in the “Saskatchewan
Farmers Group” Facebook, which is no
longer publicly searchable on Facebook.

Kautz wrote, “In my mind, his only
mistake was leaving witnesses.” Who is
Kautz referring to? Other posts make it
evident that he was saying the shooter,
Gerald Stanley’s only mistake was leaving
live young witness after his crime. Kautz
is now being pushed to resign for these
clearly bigoted comments. However, his
wife tried to justify his comments to CBC
saying that he wrote them in the heat of
the moment and that their family farm
had recently been robbed of tools and gas.
As if all robbers deserve to be killed and
anyone who looks like a robber deserves
to be killed, and finally all witnesses who
may or may not be involved deserve to be
killed too. Seems well thought out.
The second Facebook comment that
was widely shared, but not credited
to anyone in particular was similarly
inciting violence and hate, “He [Stanley]
should have shot all five and been given
a medal.” While these types of comments
are offensive, they are also dangerous. In
fact there were so many racist calls for
violence against Indigenous people online
that RCMP and Brad Wall, the premier
of the province of Saskatchewan had to
send out warnings reminding people that
online threats of violence are criminally
punishable acts. However, so far, there are
no news stories about any of these cases
being pursued.
At the same time that victim Colten
Boushie’s family was demanding “Justice
for Colten” and trying to raise money
online to pay for his funeral, the family
of Gerald Stanley was organizing a steak
BBQ fundraiser, to mobilize in his defence
and apparently support his wife. The “Help
Mrs. Stanley of Biggar, Sk.” GoFundMe
account has now been removed based on
the website’s policy to not host campaigns
which are funding people facing criminal
charges. It is clear Stanley is trying to set
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himself up as the victim, whether with
vicious online ‘supporters’; his lawyers
statement; his “not guilty” plea; or the
above-mentioned GoFundMe campaign
for his wife.
Brenda Macdougall, chair in Métis research
for the Department of Geography at the
University of Ottawa wrote an interesting
article for the Globe & Mail Newspaper
titled, “After Boushie: It’s time for honest
talk about racism in Saskatchewan.” In
her article Macdougall cites more of these
dangerous online comments and attempts
to explain their roots and causes by linking
Boushie’s death to the Black Lives Matter
movement, but maybe not in the way you
would expect.
She writes, “Saskatchewan is connected
to the events in Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore,
New York, Chicago, and Milwaukee
where black men were killed by police
officers. But the comparison to be made
isn’t about the deaths, but rather the
narrative of white victimhood. This sense
of white victimization were reflected in
social media posts about the Boushie
case, such as: “Time to go all cowboy and
Indian on these useless leeches in society
that live off of everyone else,” or “the very
sad truth is that being ‘white’ we can be
discriminated upon more than any other
race and no one faces any repercussions,”
or, “Canada has millions of hard working
people who get up everyday and work
their guts out contributing to society while
… we also have a million indigenous
people many who contribute absolutely
nothing to Canadian society.” The
traditional power and privilege reserved
for white men is gradually eroding,
and being replaced by more genuine
participation and inclusion of historically
marginalized peoples. The vile comments
continued on page 36

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Article by Fidel Castro:

THE
BIRTHDAY

Tomorrow I will turn 90 years old. I was
born in a territory called Birán, in the
eastern region of Cuba. It’s known by
that name, although it has never appeared
on a map. Given its good conduct it was
known for close friends and, of course, a
stronghold of political representatives and
inspectors involved in any commercial
or productive activity typical of the
neocolonized countries of the world.
On one occasion I accompanied my father
to Pinares de Mayarí. I was eight or nine
years old. How he enjoyed talking when he
left the house in Birán! There he was the
proprietor of the land where sugar cane,
pasture and other agricultural crops were
planted. But in Pinares de Mayarí he was
not a proprietor, but a leaseholder, like
many Spaniards, who were the owners of
a continent under the rights granted by a
papal bull, of whose existence none of the
peoples and human beings of this continent
were aware. Already, the knowledge
transmitted then was largely treasures of
humanity.
The altitude rises to approximately 500
meters, with inclined, rocky slopes, where
the vegetation is scarce and at times hostile.
Trees and rocks obstruct transit; suddenly, at
a certain height, a vast plateau begins which
I estimate extends over approximately 200
square kilometers, with rich deposits of
nickel, chromium, manganese and other
minerals of great economic value. From
that plateau dozens of trucks of pines of
great size and quality were extracted daily.

Note that I have not mentioned the gold,
platinum, palladium, diamonds, copper,
tin, and others that at the same time have
become symbols of the economic values
that human society, in its present stage of
development, requires.
A few years before the triumph of the
Revolution my father died. Beforehand, he
suffered a lot.
Of his three sons, the second and third

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were absent and distant. In revolutionary
activities both fulfilled their duty. I had
said that I knew who could replace me
if the adversary was successful in its
elimination plans. I almost laughed about
the Machiavellian plans of the presidents of
the United States.
On January 27, 1953, after the treacherous
coup by Batista in 1952, a page of the history
of our Revolution was written: university
students and youth organizations, alongside
the people, carried out the first March of the
Torches to commemorate the centenary of
the birth of José Martí.
I had already reached the conviction that no
organization was prepared for the struggle
we were organizing. There was complete
disorientation from the political parties that
mobilized the masses of citizens, from the
left to the right and the center, sickened by
the politicking that reigned in the country.
At the age of 6 a teacher full of ambitions,
who taught in the small public school of
Birán, convinced my family that I should
travel to Santiago de Cuba to accompany
my older sister who would enter a highly
prestigious convent school. Including me
was a skill of that very teacher from the little
school in Birán. She, splendidly treated in
the house in Birán, where she ate at the
same table with the family, was convinced
of the necessity of my presence. Certainly, I
was in better health than my brother Ramón
- who passed away in recent months - and
for a long time was a classmate. I do not
want to be extensive, only that the years of
that period of hunger were very tough for
the majority of the population.
I was sent, after three years, to the Colegio
La Salle in Santiago de Cuba, where I was
enrolled in the first grade. Almost three
years past without them ever taking me to
the cinema.
Thus began my life. Maybe I will write, if
I have time, about this. Excuse me for not
having done so before now, it’s just I have

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

ideas of what a child can and should be
taught. I believe that a lack of education is
the greatest harm that can be done.
Humankind today faces the greatest risk of
its history. Specialists in these areas can do
the most for the inhabitants of this planet,
whose number rose, from one billion at
the end of 1800, to seven billion at the
beginning of 2016. How many will our
planet have within a few years?
The brightest scientists, who now number
several thousand, are those who can answer
this question and many others of great
consequence.
I wish to express my most profound
gratitude for the shows of respect, the
greetings and the gifts that I have received
in recent days, which give me the strength
to reciprocate through ideas that I will
transmit to the members of our Party and
relevant organizations.
Modern technical means have allowed for
scrutiny of the universe. Great powers such
as China and Russia can not be subject
to threats to impose the use of nuclear
weapons. They are peoples of great courage
and intelligence. I believe that the speech by
the President of the United States when he
visited Japan lacked stature, and it lacked
an apology for the killing of hundreds of
thousands of people in Hiroshima, in spite
of the fact that they knew the effects of the
bomb. The attack on Nagasaki was equally
criminal, a city that the masters of life and
death chose at random. It is for that reason
that we must hammer on about the necessity
of preserving peace, and that no power has
the right to kill millions of human beings.

"Politicians said after the death
of my family: never again! ...
Everyone allegedly wanted to do
something after the photos that
had so moved them. But what is
happening now? The dying goes
on and nobody's doing anything."
- Abdullah Kurdi, father of Alan
Kurdi (Bild Newspaper, August
31, 2016)
On September 2, 2015 a three
year-old boy named Alan Kurdi
drowned while attempting to cross
the Aegean Sea with his family.
The photograph of his lifeless body
on a Turkish beach was front page
news around the world. Major
corporate media news anchors and
western politicians alike spoke
about the tragic death of Alan, his
five year old brother Galip and his
mother Rehanna, claiming that
they would “take action” to end
the refugee crisis.
One year later, it is clearer than
ever that they were all crying
crocodile tears.
The refugee crisis in Europe
today has not only continued, but
the depth of human suffering for
refugees in Europe and Canada
and the U.S. has also increased.
Over the past year, more and more
refugees from the Middle East and
Africa in Europe and the U.S. and
Canada are facing inhuman living
conditions as well as the spread of
racism and Islamophobia.

Organization for Migration – IOM).
This is an over 37% increase in
the number of completely needless
deaths when comparing the same
period in 2015 to today. In fact,
despite the promises by politicians to
end the needless deaths of children
in the Mediterranean, an average of
two children have drowned in the
Mediterranean every single day over
the last one and a half years.
According to the United Nations
Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the
great majority of refugees that
arrived in Europe from January 1,
2015 – July 31, 2016 came from
three countries: Syria, Iraq and
Afghanistan. These three countries
are also main targets of brutal
imperialist interventions since the
U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan
15 years ago. Refugees continue
to flee from their homes to Europe
because they had no other option
for safe life and a future in the face
of the complete devastation caused
by wars, occupations and foreign
intervention in their countries.
Worsening Conditions for
Refugees in Europe

One would think that after more
than 1.5 years of summits and
negotiations between European
government leaders, the conditions
for the more than 1.2 million
refugees in Europe would be
improving. However, in fact the
day-to-day reality for refugees in
Europe is actually getting worse.
After risking their lives to escape
to Europe, refugees are confronted
Refugees in Europe are struggling to escape war and desvastation in with further danger and humiliation
The Refugee Crisis Continues
their homelands fueled by U.S. and European imperialism.
when they reach Italy or Greece.
Today, over 65 million people, or one in forced to do the same this year.
“No one tells us anything — we have no
every 113 humans on the planet, has been
idea what our future is going to be… If we
displaced by force. In 2015, over 1 million In 2016 alone, nearly 3,200 people have died
knew it would be like this, we would not
refugees from the Middle East and Africa crossing the Mediterranean in dangerous and
have left Syria. We die a thousand deaths
overcrowded
rafts
and
boats
(International
arrived in Europe by sea. As of August 31,
here every day.” - Shiraz Madran, living
2016, a further 278,000 refugees have been

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children’s rights advocacy groups for
delaying or outright refusing to accept the
resettlement of just 387 children, living
alone in a devastating refugee camp in
Calais, France, some of whom are waiting
to be reunited with family members already
living in the U.K.
This completely unjustifiable inaction in
the face of the refugee crisis is even more
sickening given that the U.K. is one of the
main countries responsible for creating the
refugee crisis in the first place. The U.K. has
taken a leading role in bloody imperialist
wars, occupations and interventions in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and Yemen that
have displaced tens of millions of people.

in a make-shift refugee camp in Idomeni,
Greece (New York Times, August 13, 2016)
With these words, Shiraz, a mother of four
is describing what it means to be one of
over 57,000 refugees stranded in Greece.
The camp where she is currently living
with her family is near Idomeni, a town on
Greece’s Northern border with Macedonia.
European response to the refugee crisis,
which has closed borders and built barbwire fences, leaves tens of thousands of
refugees in complete limbo with no place
to live in dignity as they await decisions on
their claims to asylum. Non-governmental
organizations and human rights groups
have documented the squalid conditions in
these camps, which include a lack of food,
water, housing and healthcare, compounded
with severe overcrowding. In one camp
on the Greek Island of Lesbos, 40 people
were found to be living a single container.
Conditions for the estimated 140,000
refugees living in Italy are no better.
In addition to inhuman living conditions,
refugees living in camps in Europe have
also been subject to further violence and
harassment from the police and army
forces. As one example of this, a recent
report by the Bar Human Rights Committee
(BHRC) of England and Wales, highlighted
a disturbing pattern of “police violence,
police failure to protect residents within
the camp and a lack of access to justice,”
for the over 8,000 refugees at a camp near
Calais, France.
Europe’s Inhuman Policies Fail Refugees

It is not only the neglect of European
governments that has forced tens of
thousands of refugees to live in inhuman
conditions, but it is the complete failure
of European government’s to act that has
stranded refugees in Greece and Italy in the
first place.
This is especially true for refugees that are
not from Syria. Nearly all refugee policies
and resolutions passed by European,
Canadian and U.S. governments have
completely ignored the basic human and
legal rights of refugees from many different
countries across the Middle East and Africa.
Take, for example, the response of the
government of the United Kingdom.
Following the death of Alan Kurdi, the then
Prime Minister David Cameron announced
that Britain would accept 4,000 Syria
refugees a year until 2020, for a total of
20,000 refugees over the next five years. Put
into proper perspective, at the time of this
announcement an average of 8,000 refugees
were arriving in Europe every day. At the
same time, this shockingly low number also
represents only 0.03% of the population of
the UK.
Following another pressure campaign by
NGO’s and some sympathetic members of
Parliament in May of 2016, the government
of the U.K. passed a referendum calling
for the resettlement of an additional 3,000
unaccompanied child refugees.
As of
August, fewer than 20 had arrived according
to the Guardian Newspaper. On top of this,
the government is currently under fire from
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On the whole, the European Commission’s
strategy for the resettlement of refugees
from Greece and Italy to other European
countries has been a complete disaster.
After months of negotiations, the European
Commission agreed to the eventual
resettlement of 160,000 refugees into
Europe. According to the International
Organization for Migration, as of August
25, 2016, member-states have made
spaces available for less than 10% of that
commitment, a mere 12,990 refugees (this
does not include resettlements to the U.K.
or Denmark).
There is also the disastrous European
Union agreement with Turkey. This plan,
which was enabled beginning in March,
was supposed to increase the number of
Syrian refugees directly relocated from
Turkey to the E.U. in exchange for Turkey’s
acceptance of refugees denied asylum in
the E.U. after arriving on the shores of
Europe. So far, only 1,152 refugees have
been resettled from Turkey to the E.U., and
less than 500 have been sent-back to Turkey
from Greece. Once again, the so-called
response from European governments is
far from adequate to address the human
suffering and disaster of the refugee crisis.
Bigotry, Islamophobia and Racism:
Capitalist Tools for Division
“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will
have you hating the people who are being
oppressed, and loving the people who are
doing the oppressing.” – Malcolm X
There is another dimension to the
humiliation and suffering that refugees face
after arriving in Europe (or in Canada or
the United States for that matter). On top
of uncertain and inhuman living conditions,
refugees are also confronted with a capitalist
campaign to sew bigotry, Islamophobia and
continued on page 37

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15

FROM NORTH DAKOTA
TO NORTHERN BC
We Say: PEOPLE & PLANET
BEFORE PIPELINES & PLUNDER!

By Thomas Davies

Things are heating up. Literally. July was the
hottest month ever recorded on earth. Just
like the month before that. And the month
before that. And the month before that
one too. According to NASA the planet is
warming at a pace not experienced in the last
1000 years. While this unprecedented global
warming threatens to completely unbalance
earths environment and jeopardize life
on this planet, organizers demanding
an end of unsustainable economic and
environmental practises are turning up the
heat on their actions as well. Nowhere is
this more apparent that in North Dakota,
where thousands of indigenous and nonindigenous protesters have set up camp to
prevent the completion of the controversial
Dakota Access Pipeline. Across Canada
as well, the situation is becoming more
tense, as the government is set to decide on
several massive pipeline projects which face
significant opposition across the country.
Dakota Access Pipeline
“We do not need oil to live, but we do need
water, and water is a human right and not a
privilege.”

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- Waniya Locke (Ahtna Dene, Dakota,
Lakota, Anishinaabe) Standing Rock
Descendent
The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is
proposed to transport 450,000 barrels of
hydraulically fracked crude oil per day
from North Dakota to Illinois. Despite
pressure from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, the U.S. Department
of Interior and the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, Dakota Access has
failed to consult tribes and conduct a full
environmental impact statement.
The current route of the DAPL will cross
over the Ogallala Aquifer (one of the largest
aquifers in the world) and under the Missouri
River twice (the longest river in the United
States). The possible contamination of these
water sources which millions of people rely
on make the DAPL a national threat.
The DAPL violates Article 2 of the 1868
Fort Laramie Treaty which guarantees that
the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose
traditional territory the pipeline crosses, shall
enjoy the “undisturbed use and occupation”
of their permanent homeland, the Standing
Rock Indian Reservation.

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Unsurprisingly, the local community
was not happy that this 3.8 billion dollar
pipeline would be bulldozing through
their backyards without consent. As the
pipeline construction moved forward and
it was obvious the government and big
oil companies were going to ignore their
concerns, a protection camp was set up in
April of this year and has continued to
grow. Opposition has continued to grow in
other ways as well. A petition with 140,000
signatures was brought to Washington, DC
demanding that US President Barack Obama
repeal the water crossing permits for the
pipeline and court challenge is also taking
place.
The main highway into the camp has been
shutdown. A military style checkpoint
has been set up to harass and intimidate
those wishing to join the camp. Still more
and more people keep coming. Nearly 30
people have been arrested. Yet still more
people keep coming. Protesters have had
attack dogs bite them and have been pepper
sprayed by private security agencies. Yet
still more people keep coming to defend the
land.
The videos of the dog attacks show an
obvious attempt to provoke people into

violence to justify shutting the camp down.
It failed. Video and photographic evidence
shows a strong, determined opposition by
people who stopped further bulldozing of
ancient burial grounds with their unity and
numbers. “The cops watched the whole thing
from up on the hills,” said camp member
Marcus Frejo. “It felt like they were trying
to provoke us into being violent when we’re
peaceful.”
“Now we’re getting ready for winter again,”
said Joey Braun, a member of the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe and an organizer with the
Indigenous Environmental Network. “We’re
not going anywhere.” “We’re not against the
construction crews - we know they are just
trying to make a living. But they are working
for the wrong company.”
Meanwhile global weeks of solidarity have
also been called from September 3 to 17 and
the Standing Rock defenders have become
an important symbol of resistance and
perseverance around the world.
Farther North
In Canada the situation is becoming
increasingly tense, as Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau and the Liberal Party have promised
to somehow protect the environment and
continue building pipelines and other
resource extraction projects which scientists
say make it impossible to meet the country’s
promised environmental commitments. Two
key pipelines, the Kinder Morgan pipeline
in British Columbia, and the Energy East
pipeline from BC to the Atlantic Coast are
up for government approval in the coming
months.
The new Kinder Morgan pipeline would
“twin” an existing pipeline which runs from
Edmonton to Burnaby. This would increase
the amount of oil being transported from
300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day. More
than 20 municipalities and 17 First Nations
along the proposed expansion route are in
strong opposition to the project. When Kinder
Morgan began coring operations to drill
samples from Burnaby Mountain, a protest
camp sprung up immediately. For weeks
there were rallies of hundreds of people
and 100 arrests. Kinder Morgan brought a
multi-million dollar lawsuit against some of
the organizers, who were able to crowdfund
$50,000 in a few days to pay legal fees.
Kinder Morgan eventually decided to drop
the lawsuit, and all of the lawsuits against
the 100 arrested on Burnaby Mountain were
eventually dropped as well. Protests against
the pipeline have continued throughout
Vancouver.
The National Energy Board has recommended
approval of the pipeline, despite the fact the

majority of those who participated in
public hearings were in opposition,
and the indigenous nations whose land
it would cross have still not granted
permission. The government has
appointed a three person panel to do
further hearings, and has promised a
decision by the end of December. They
are clearly concerned about what the
public fallout could be from approving
a pipeline Justin Trudeau had previously
expressed support for.
The Energy East pipeline which would
span from Alberta’s oilsands to the
Atlantic coast via a 4,600-kilometre
pipeline was also going through the
NEB public hearing process, until the
NEB suspended hearings blaming a
“violent disruption” when protesters
entered a Montreal NEB hearing room
chanting and holding a banner.

The more likely reason is the huge
controversy which erupted when it was
revealed that two NEB staff members,
its CEO, and panel members met with
then TransCanada consultant and former
Quebec Premier Jean Charest back in
January of 2015 – and then lied to try
and cover it up
Opposition is widespread. Montreal
mayor Denis Coderre, not known for
his progressive views, has opposed the
pipeline saying it would only deliver
about $2 million in economic benefits
to the Montreal area, while a major spill
could cost billions to clean up. Quebec’s
Assembly of First Nations declared its Lummi Nation totem pole erected on proposed
Energy East pipeline route.
opposition in July, saying the project
of Lax’walams spoke very clearly in their
would “fuel catastrophic climate
rejection of the 1.25 billion dollar offer from
change.” Also,
Quebec’s main farmers organization, Union Petronas, and this camp builds upon that
des Producteurs Agricoles is publicly rejection. This issue is not just a First Nations
issue but one that will affect all British
opposed to the project.
Columbians, especially those who rely upon
healthy and abundant Fish stocks, of a variety
Widespread Opposition
of species at the mouth of the Skeena River.”
The same fights are repeating themselves The list of similar actions is long, but so are
in cities and towns across North America. the lists made by oil executives of future
Despite police harassment the Unist’ot’en development proposals.
have maintained a camp since 2009 which
is blocking seven pipelines that do not have What’s at Stake? Which Way Forward?
Unist’ot’en consent to use their land.
A Consortium led by LNG giant Petronas Inevitably when discussing opposition to these
has been frustrated in its attempts to build an projects the debate turns to employment. It’s
11 billion dollar LNG plant on Lax U’u’la / a fair concern, but the discussion often lacks
Lelu Island without community support. The some understanding. Previously, across North
protest camp their celebrated its one year America many families relied on incomes
from fishing and logging. What about now?
anniversary on August 24th.
Explaining the community’s decision not The mills are closed and the workers laid
to allow the LNG plant to move forward, off. The fish stocks were depleted and many
Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chief Yahaan fisherman found they could no longer make
(Donald Wesley) said, “Development within a living doing something their families had
our Traditional territories must have our been doing for generations.
Free, Prior and Informed consent. The people
continued on page 33
FIRE THIS TIME

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

17

Long Live Fidel! •
•
Vancouver Celebrates the 90th Birthday of Fidel Castro!
By Janine Solanki
Saturday August 13 marked the 90th Birthday
of Fidel Castro, Cuban revolutionary hero,
leader and visionary. To understand who Fidel
is, is to understand what the Cuban revolution
is. Before Cuba's 1959 revolution, Cuba was
the gambling and prostitution playground of
the US, with its resources and labour force

Friday, August 12
On Friday August 12 Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) held a
full day of dynamic events for Fidel Castro’s
90th Birthday, in Downtown Vancouver at the
Vancouver Public Library. Hundreds of people stopped by the library plaza to discuss and

tiful video greetings from: Eva Doris of the
Quebec Desk of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Javier Domokos, the Cuban Consul General in Toronto and
Miguel Barnet, a member of Cuba’s National
Assembly and President of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. Over 80 people of all
ages and backgrounds came to the library to
enjoy the exciting evening, with most planning
to return for the second day of celebrations!
Saturday, August 13

exploited to the hilt and its population impoverished and facing chronic unemployment, malnutrition and preventable diseases.
Under Fidel's revolutionary leadership, this
small island became an example to the world
for its model of free, accessible and advanced
healthcare and education, and whose educated
and healthy people live with dignity. Cuba's
pre-revolution illiteracy rate went from
around 76% to illiteracy being eliminated
within one year in 1961. Cuba's high level
of education, living standards and healthcare
means that Cuba actually now has the demographics of a first world, industrialized country. Looking to Cuba's youth, there is a high
level of political and social engagement, with
youth participating in their own organizations
in the elementary, secondary and university
level as well as a high youth representation
in Cuban government. Cuban women are
also leading in the struggle for equality and
women's rights, aided by free childcare, equal
pay and the Cuban Women's Federation. In
fact, Cuban women make up 48.9% of Cuba's
National Assembly, making Cuba the country with the fourth highest representation of
women in government in the world.
Thanks to Fidel's leadership, Cuba today is
a beacon of hope for people all around the
world, a proof that a better and more just
world is possible. This is why in Cuba, around
the world and here in Vancouver, Canada,
supporters held events to celebrate the milestone birthday of someone who has inspired
people all around the world and through multiple generations from the Cuban Revolution
to today – Fidel Castro.

18

FIRE THIS TIME

enjoy the open-air photo exposition “Fidel es
Fidel”(Fidel is Fidel) by Cuban filmmaker
and photographer, Roberto Chile. Passers-by
took hundreds of leaflets, newsletters and materials explaining the historic and current role
that Fidel’s leadership has played throughout
the development and gains of the Cuban Revolution and internationally. Included in those
materials, dozens of copies of a new Battle of
Ideas Press booklet “Fidel!” written by VCSC
coordinator, Tamara Hansen, were purchased
by those hoping to learn more about Fidel,
who is often slandered and misrepresented
in mainstream media in the U.S. and Canada.
In the evening, organizers, activists and supporters moved indoors at the Vancouver Public Library for the cultural and political celebration. The event, “Condemn me, it does
not matter. History will absolve me” featured:
speeches about the life and legacy of Fidel;
live music with trovador Marcos Uribe and
ranchera singer MX Katracho; moving poetry
dedicated to Fidel by Wala Zaidan, Mayra
Climaco, Max
Tennant and
Shakeel Lochan; and the
Va n c o u v e r
premier of the
Roberto Chile
documentary:
“CHAVEZ Y
FIDEL, Hasta
Siempre.”
VCSC
was
also honoured
to receive and
present beau-

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

On Saturday August 13, due to the overwhelmingly positive reception on the day
before, the “Fidel es Fidel” photography exposition was extended to begin an hour earlier
and end an hour later than originally scheduled. Saturday’s exposition attracted many
passers-by, many of which stopped to discuss
Fidel, the Cuban Revolution and had questions about the current ongoing US blockade
against Cuba. Some also asked to have their
photos taken beside one of the photos of Fidel!
Later that evening the last event in the twoday celebration of Fidel’s birthday took place
again in the Vancouver Public Library. A full
house was treated to “An Evening with Fidel”,
a dynamic play taken from Fidel Castro’s
iconic speeches, interviews and memoirs featuring actor and director, Tim Perez. Following the performance, the enthusiastic audience
participated in a question and answer session
with Tim Perez. No birthday celebration is
complete without a cake. Participants joined
in singing “Happy Birthday” while actor Tim
Perez filled in the part of Fidel by blowing out
the candles on the Fidel hat-shaped cake. The
audience had a chance to enjoy the delicious
cake and to snap photos with “Fidel” as the
evening closed with a reception and the loud
and united chants of:
VIVA FIDEL!
VIVA CUBA!
HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!

LOCAL ACTIVISM

Protest Action & Public Education

Fight the US Blockade on Cuba!
By Janine Solanki
On December 17th, 2014 US President Barack
Obama and Cuba President Raul Castro made a
historic announcement, that the U.S. and Cuban
government would begin to normalize relations.
Especially for the people of Cuba, who have
struggled to survive under over 55 years of the
US blockade on Cuba, this was welcome news.
The far-reaching blockade has caused medicine,
food and fuel shortages, internet bandwidth
limitations, shortages of supplies for everything
from scientific to technological to sport and arts
development. Yet despite the blockade, Cuba
has become a worldwide leader in healthcare,
education, sports, arts and innovation. Just
imagine how much more Cuba could achieve
without the restrictive blockade around its neck?
Formed shortly after Obama’s December 17th
announcement, Friends of Cuba Against the
US Blockade – Vancouver (FCAB-Vancouver)
is holding President Obama to account. Every
month, FCAB-Vancouver organizes a picket
action at the US consulate in downtown
Vancouver, demanding “US Lift the Blockade on
Cuba Now!” and “Return Guantanamo to Cuba!”
On August 17, 2016 FCAB-Vancouver held a
monthly picket action in front of the US consulate

12th World Social
Forum Conference in
Montreal, Quebec
By Alison Bodine
This summer, more than 35,000 people gathered
in Montreal, Quebec for the 12th World Social
Forum. Held from August 9-14, 2016, the World
Social Forum brought together social justice
activists and organizers from around the world
for 5 days of rallies, forums, workshops and
cultural events under the banner of “Another
world is needed. Together, it is possible.”
Among the participants, who came from 125
different countries, was a strong delegation of
Cuba and Venezuela solidarity and anti-war
activists from Vancouver.
The World Social Forum began with a powerful
march of 15,000 people through the streets of
Montreal. Among other demands, the march
called for the government of Canada to grant
visas to over 200 people that were not able
to participate in the forum because they had
been denied entry to Canada. The march also
included a dynamic contingent in support of
Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution that
chanted “Viva Chavez!” and “U.S. Hands Off
Venezuela!” as they marched.
Thousands of workshops were organized in
the days following the opening march. These
included a successful workshop by Vancouver’s
antiwar coalition, Mobilization Against War and

to demand an end to this criminal
blockade. With picket signs, banners
and Cuban flags, Cuba supporters
picketed and chanted energetically
to made sure that the US government
knows that action needs to go along
with Obama’s promising words. At
this picket, speakers included Azza
Rojbi, a coordinator of FCAB-Van,
Brian Sproule representing the CPCML, and David Whittlsey, a long
time veteran social justice activist. Picketers
also heard a solidarity greeting phone message
from Cuba solidarity activists in Ottawa, who
are also holding monthly picket actions against
the blockade on Cuba. FCAB-Vancouver has
resolved to keep holding monthly pickets against
the US blockade until it is completely lifted, and
encourages more cities to join Vancouver and
Ottawa in this monthly protest action.
From protest action to public education, on
August 13th FCAB-Vancouver and Vancouver
Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC)
joined in the New Westminster Pride street
festival. With an information table, Cuban flags
and a banner reading “Cuba Says LGBTQ+
Rights are Human Rights”, one of the great
progresses of the Cuban Revolution was brought

to the attention of people enjoying the sunny
Pride festival. Festival-goers received VCSC’s
special Pride edition newsletter, and were curious
to come by the table to learn about Cuba’s very
active campaign against homophobia, how
LGBTQ+ rights are protected in Cuba and how
gender reassignment procedures are a right
provided for free in Cuba.
As long as the criminal US blockade is still
in force, and as long as Guantanamo is still
occupied by the US, justice-supporting people
worldwide have a job to do to campaign in
defense of Cuba. To join in upcoming actions
please visit www.vancubavsblockade.org or on
twitter @NoBloqueoVan
US Lift the Blockade on Cuba Now!
Return Guantanamo to Cuba!

Occupation (MAWO) titled
“NATO’s role in the New Era
of War & Occupation. Let’s
build a strong and effective
antiwar movement in Canada
and beyond.”
There were also a number
of workshops and events
organized about Cuba and
Venezuela. Chicago ALBA
and the Fire This Time
Movement for Social Justice
from Vancouver, organized
a workshop on Cuba,
Venezuela and the importance
of organizing against U.S. intervention. This
workshop brought together Venezuela and Cuba
solidarity activists, a majority from Canada and
the United States, and also included a special
presentation by the Venezuelan Ambassador to
Canada, Wilmer Barrientos, as well as Venezuelan
Member of Parliament Francisco Torrealba.
The Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic in
Montreal also organized two public forums during
the World Social Forum, both of which were held
at the Simón Bolivar Latin American Cultural
Centre. The first of these important educational
events was a forum titled “Human Rights in
Venezuela” which featured presentations by the
Venezuelans who had been violent attacked, or
whose loved ones had been injured or killed,
during violent opposition riots in Venezuela in
2014. The second forum discussed the political
situation in Venezuela, and featured talks by
Nosliw Rodríguez y Francisco Torrealba, both
members of the Venezuelan parliament from the

FIRE THIS TIME

United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).
La Table de Concertation de Solidarité QuébecCuba organized multiple events in solidarity with
Cuba with the support of Vancouver Communities
in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC). This included a
workshop on Cuba/U.S. relations with Miguel
Barnet, the President of Cuba’s Union of Authors
and Artists (UNEAC) as well as a cultural and
political event for the 90th birthday of Fidel
Castro, the leader of the Cuban Revolution. This
moving tribute to Fidel featured Canadian author
and researcher Arnold August, UNEAC President
Miguel Barnet and the Venezuela Ambassador to
Canada, Wilmer Barrientos, among others.
Now that the World Social Forum in Montreal
is over, it is our responsibility as antiwar, Latin
American solidarity and social justice activists
to act upon the important discussions, debates
and resolutions that came out of the international
gathering. We must educate, organize and
mobilize for a better world!

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

19

“I AM NOT GOING TO STAND UP TO SHOW PRIDE IN
A FLAG FOR A COUNTRY THAT OPPRESSES BLACK
PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. TO ME, THIS IS
BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL AND IT WOULD BE SELFISH
ON MY PART TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY. THERE ARE
BODIES IN THE STREET AND PEOPLE GETTING PAID
LEAVE AND GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. IF THEY
TAKE FOOTBALL AWAY, MY ENDORSEMENTS FROM
ME, I KNOW THAT I STOOD UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.”
- COLIN KAEPERNICK

Today, 11 years after, things have gotten
worse for families living in the French
suburbs (banlieues), the majority of
people living in the “banlieues” are
second or third generation immigrants
from former French colonies in
Africa. Their
country’s
wealth
and resources were plundered and
exploited by French colonialism.
They have been forced to leave their
beloved homelands running away
from poverty and lack of opportunities
only to find themselves facing racism,
islamophobia, poverty, unemployment
and massive discrimination in France.
The unemployment rate among youth
from impoverished suburbs across
France is two and half times greater
than the national average according
to the Observatoire des inégalités
(Inequality Watch - A network of
research organizations in France and
Europe).

/

In 2005, French youth of African descent
took to the streets in a series of protests
following the deaths of two young
Muslim men, killed while fleeing police.
The loss of two young innocent lives
added more fuel to an already burning
fire. The government tried desperately
to keep a lid on the frustration and anger
of a growing number of youth. The
government poured some money here
and there pretending to fix the problems
but avoiding the root causes.

/

Is it a reality for the 8.7 million French
people living below the poverty line?
Is it a reality for the 140,000 children
in France, the majority of whom are of
North African descent, who drop out of
school each year? Is it a reality for the
4.7 million Muslims living in France
that have to live in an atmosphere of
discrimination and islamophobia?

shook
France,
islamophobia
and
racism
skyrocketed and
families
from
Muslim
and
North
African
backgrounds
found themselves
further alienated
and discriminated
against. In just the
3 weeks following
the attack on
Charlie
Hebdo
Magazine, more
than 128 antiMuslim incidents
and aggressions
happened across
France, according
to a report by the
Collective Against
Islamophobia in
France (CCIF). The "burkini ban" in France leads police to make woman remove clothing on a beach
There
were in Nice, France August 2016
killings, verbal
who wear it. The burkini is the symbol of a
and physical attacks on women wearing the
political project that is hostile to diversity
veil, even grenades and shots fired at various
and empowerment.”
Mosques around the country. This wave of
The amount of ridiculous and irrational
islamophobic attacks took place, while being
logic here amazes me! The outfit worn
practically ignored by the French government
by a woman while enjoying her time with
and mainstream media.
family and friends at the beach is somehow
Fashion police with questionable taste!
linked to an extremist political project?!
The latest addition to the French hall of shame
Telling women what to wear or not to wear
is the “burkini ban”. The burkini is a full body
when going to enjoy a day at the beach, this
swimsuit, basically a wetsuit with a hoodie.
is extremism!
It is commonly worn by Muslim women at
The photos taken on the beach in Nice,
the beach, as it is modest. A number of towns
France that went viral on social media
along the French Riviera banned women from
were outrageous: four armed male police
wearing the burkini with the excuse that it is
officers surrounded a woman who was
“unhygienic”, “a provocation by Islamists” and
peacefully sleeping on the sand wearing
“contrary to French values”. France’s Prime
leggings, a long sleeve shirt and a head
Minister, Manuel Valls, supported the ban and
scarf. They forced her to remove her long
called the burkini part of a “political project”
sleeve shirt before writing her a ticket. This
to enslave women. Laurence Rossignol, the
is the French government’s way to uphold
French Minister for the Families, Children and
women’s rights: humiliating women and
Women’s Rights, also spoke in favor of the ban
ordering them to undress in public!
on burkinis. In an interview with Le Parisien
Newspaper, she said, “The burkini agitates
The state and the police have no business
so much because of its collective political
telling women how they should dress.
dimension. It does not only concern the women
Any law that forces a woman to undress in
/

France prides itself for its motto, which
dates back to the French revolution,
“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” meaning
“Liberty, equality, fraternity” but is it
reality?

LIBERTEÉ, EGALITEÉ, FRATERNITEÉFOR WHOM?

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

Maybe Manuel Valls and his
government should focus
on these real struggles for
égalité (equality) and leave
the burkini alone!
Divide and Conquer

Vilifying
Muslims
and
obsessing about the burkini
helps distract attention from
the many social and economic
problems in France. It creates
animosity and fear towards
people from the Middle
East and North Africa
and scapegoats Muslim
immigrants and refugees as
responsible for the failures of
capitalism in France. Islam
Letter to the Editor of The Guardian Newspaper August 26, 2016 is the new boogeyman and
islamophoia is the new tool
public is sexist and misogynistic. Claiming
to
justify
their
wars
at home and abroad.
that women who choose to wear a burkini
somehow pose a threat to “the republic’’
is laughable. However, the police and
government actions are a clear violation
of these women’s civil and human rights,
fining them and forcing them to remove
their clothing in public is a clear violation
of their bodies. The French Prime Minister
and other French officials who have
defended the burkini ban, are defending a
sexist and islamophobic attack to further
humiliate and alienate Muslim women.
For them it is inconceivable that a Muslim
woman spends a day at a beach, enjoying
the sun, sand and waves. She must be
out there plotting against French values
and freedoms! As French Prime Minister
Manuel Valls said: “The burkini is an antisocial political project... It is not compatible
with the values of France and the Republic.
Faced with such provocations, the
Republic must defend itself.’’ These types
of comments push French Muslim women
further out of public spaces and public life.
These types of comments help to confine
women to their homes on a sunny summer
day while their fellow citizens enjoy a day
at the beach or the pool. It is unclear which
French values are being defended here?!
Not liberty, nor equality, nor fraternity!
If Manuel Valls really cared about
championing women’s rights maybe he
should stop telling women what to wear and
start listening to the real issues they care
about: women are gravely hit by the high
unemployment rates, especially among
youth of the banlieues (suburbs). One
woman dies every two days from domestic
violence, and more than 86,000 women a
year are victims of rape or attempted rape.
In France, men earn a wage 34.6% higher
than women. Today, France is ranked
in 63rd place internationally for female
participation in parliament (even lower than
their former colonies Tunisia and Algeria).

France never broke away from its shameful
colonial exploitive history. From the days
of the Algerian war until today the French
military continues its imperialist wars and
missions in Africa and the Middle East.
France was one of the first countries to beat
the drums of war against Libya and joined the
U.S. led coalition in bombing and destroying
that country causing over 400,000 Libyans
to flee their homes. According to the French
armed forces website, the French military
counts around 10,300 military personnel
deployed in overseas operations (as of
February 25, 2015). Over 3,000 troops are
spread throughout Africa and a total of 3,200
military troops are deployed to Iraq.
Islamophobia is a tool for France and other
imperialist ruling classes, not only to divide
their own societies and put people against
each other, but more importantly to mobilize
the masses of non-Muslims in imperialist
countries against Muslim people around the
world. This helps their purpose of justifying
their long run wars and occupations in their
efforts to dominate the global market and
economy.

Numerous protests took place around the
world in front of French embassies and
consulates to oppose the ban. A make
shift beach appeared in front of the French
embassy in London, women wearing
bikinis, burkinis, swimsuits and all sorts of
clothing, gathered with signs and banners
denouncing islamophobia and standing up
for a woman’s right to dress as she pleases.
The “Wear What You Want Beach Party”
was an important show of strength and
unity in fighting against racism and sexism.
Fariah Syed, one of the organizers of this
protest told the Metro Newspaper, “We set
up the event to show solidarity with Muslim
women, not only in France but around the
world.” She continued, “Women should be
allowed to wear what they want, when they
want. Women should be treated as equals
regardless of their religion.”
On Friday August 26, 2016 France’s
highest administrative court overturned the
ban on burkinis. This ruling by the Council
of State specifically concerns the ban in the
town of Villeneuve-Loubet. It is unclear if
others towns will uphold the ban.
The struggle against islamophobia in France
and internationally continues. Canada is no
stranger to the rise of islamophobia and
racism. On August 6, 2016 two violent
attacks took place in Burnaby, British
Columbia, where a man assaulted a women
wearing the veil while shouting racial slurs.
As peace loving people, we have a duty to
organize against racism and islamophobia.
We must work to educate and mobilize
Muslim and non-Muslim communities to
counter the imperialist government and
mass media campaign to divide us based
on hatred and fear. We must build mass
organizations to unite all working, poor
and oppressed people in the fight against
racism, islamophobia and sexism.

Follow Azza on Twitter: @Azza_R14

Together we stand!

The outrageous photos
from the beach in Nice
made headlines around
the world. A huge
amount of support
and
indignation
poured in on social
media. Muslims and
non-Muslims joined
together to voice
their opposition to the
burkini ban and the
rise of islamophobia
in France, Europe,
and also here in North
America.

Women hold a beach party outside the French Embassy in London to
protest the "burkini ban" August 25, 2016

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Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

23

“Palestine”
the Dirtiest Word in

Canadian bourgeois Politics
By Noah Fine
After suggesting to the media she is
considering stepping down as leader
of the Green Party of Canada, MP
Elizabeth May has decided to continue
on as the party’s leader. This came
after the Green Party voted in favor of
two resolutions sympathizing with the
Palestinian cause by way of supporting
the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
campaign (BDS) and calling for the
Canada Revenue Agency to revoke the
charitable organization status of the
Jewish National Fund (JNF) at the party’s
policy convention on August 7th.
After the policy convention May told
CBC in an interview, “I think it is
wrong-headed for the party… It’s a very
polarizing and divisive campaign.” May
continued, “You’re talking to a brokenhearted person who is trying to figure out
the best way forward.”
Why so “broken-hearted” Mrs. May?
Leading up to and following the vote,
the Greens were hit by a storm of rightwing and Zionist attention condemning
the Green Party as being anti-Semitic.
The National Post printed in their Ideas
section on July 27 an article by JNF
Chief Executive Officer, Josh Cooper
in which he concluded, “While the
impact is immediately felt by the Jewish
community, what’s ultimately at stake
is the Green party’s future in Canadian
politics. Will the Greens reclaim their
party from fringe anti-Israel ideologues
and conspiracy theorists? Or will they
placate an extreme agenda at the cost
of their own ability to connect with
mainstream Canadians?” In the previous
statement we can see why May is so
“broken-hearted”.
With a relative level of success for the
Green Party, having elected MP Elizabeth
May in two consecutive Canadian
Parliaments, it would seem that the Green
Party’s main leadership, in contrast

24

FIRE THIS TIME

to their membership, share Cooper’s
sentiments. But at what expense and who
are these “mainstream Canadians” that
Cooper believes will be alienated by the
Green’s policies on the Palestine/Israel
conflict? If what is meant by “mainstream
Canadians” is the mainstream political
establishment in Canada, then Cooper
and like-minded Zionist sympathizers
and political opportunists are absolutely
correct.
Canada’s Role in the Occupation of
Palestine
Canada has had no small role in the
occupation of Palestine since its
inception. Having been one of the first
countries to support Israel’s claim to
the territory up to defending Israel
on each and every major assault on
the Palestinian people no matter how
criminal, the political establishment in
Canada has been consistent. Each of the
big 3 political parties have all had their
part in either directly supporting the
brutal occupation of Palestine by Israel
or at least working to silence opposition
to the Zionist project.
In 2006, Israel leveled southern Lebanon

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

bombing and killing thousands of
civilians. At the end of the more than
30 days of Israeli war 1,300 Lebanese
people had been killed and 1 million
displaced. This came in retaliation for
the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers.
In reaction to Israel’s indiscriminate
bombing of innocents in Lebanon,
Conservative Prime Minister Stephen
Harper stated that Israel demonstrated a
“measured response” to the situation.
As has been reported in previous issues
of Fire This Time, the NDP also has a
long history of criminalizing opposition
to Israel within its’ own ranks by firing
or disciplining NDP candidates who
took a position in favor of the oppressed
Palestinian people.
Most recently in February of 2016 the
Liberal Government under the leadership
of PM Trudeau pushed a motion through
parliament condemning people in Canada
for supporting the BDS campaign trying
to silence and scare Canadians from
taking a position sympathizing with the
Palestinian cause.
With that in mind it’s no wonder why
MP Elizabeth May wants to maintain
the status quo on the issue and present
the green party as a reasonable and noncontroversial member of the political
establishment of Canada. And if for
any reason these so-called “mainstream
Canadians” could be alienated by the
Green Party’s policies on Palestine
it’s likely due to the fact that every
government Canada has had since the
beginning of the occupation of Palestine
in 1948 by Israel has supported Israel
100% and the mainstream media in
Canada rarely if ever displays the reality
of the life of Palestinian people under
Israel deploying White Phosphorus on Gaza.

Vancouver Rally against the siege on Gaza. July 2014.

brutal occupation.
Is Criticism of Israel Really
Controversial?
A quick look into the history of the
brutal occupation of Palestine by Israel
leaves little doubt why the Green Party
membership, which includes a large layer
of progressive minded people, voted in
favor of the policies.
During Israel’s 2008-09 siege on Gaza,
Israel used the illegal chemical weapon
White Phosphorus in its savage attack on
the Palestinian people. The weapon was
even used attacking a UN school where
innocent people including children were
fleeing the onslaught of Israeli terror.
During the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza
12,600
homes
were
completely
destroyed, 6,500 severely damaged and
150,000 homes were left uninhabitable.
The 2014 assault left 2,100 Palestinians
dead while only 66 Israeli Defense Force
soldiers were killed.
Can the Green Party membership, or
anyone concerned with human rights and
the environment be blamed for criticizing
Israel and defending the plight of the
Palestinian people knowing some of the
facts?
The unfortunate truth is that the
mainstream political establishment in
Canada, mainstream media and the
representatives of Zionism and the Israeli
state are aware that although slow, the
Green Party is garnering attention from
people in Canada as an alternative. What
they are trying to avoid is this small party
bringing attention to and popularizing
the very real issue of Israel’s brutal

occupation of Palestine and the Canadian
political establishments complete and
uncritical support for Israel.
What “mainstream Canadians”
Should Do
It’s the responsibility of people in Canada
who believe in human rights to defend
the Green Party’s policies on Palestine
whether it be against the mainstream
Canadian political establishment or the
Green Party’s leadership itself. Green
Party members stood up to take a
position in favor of the just cause of the
Palestinian people and deserve support
not only for their political position but
also in defense of freedom of speech.
As long as Israel has the support of
the major parties from the wealthiest
countries in the world they will continue
to be able to act in complete impunity not
only in contradiction to the law but to
human rights as well.
Criticizing Israel is no more anti-Semitic
than criticizing the Islamic State terrorist
group is Islamophobic. And quite
contrary not criticizing Israel simply
because of it’s pretensions as a religious
state is more dangerous and in itself antiSemitic.
Palestinian, Jewish and all people in
Canada and around the world need to
unite and call for an end to the occupation
of Palestine by Israel. Only when the
Israeli State is dismantled can Jews
and Palestinians begin to build a life
and future together in peace in a single
democratic state.
Follow Noah Fine on Twitter:
@noahf ine
FIRE THIS TIME

OUR HERITAGE

Bernadette Devlin
McAliskey
23 April 1947 (age 69)

Irish revolutionary politician and
independence fighter

“It did not seem to me
that
prejudice,
poverty,
discrimination, repression and
racism were confined to the
North of Ireland. I could see
them everywhere I spoke and
still cannot comprehend the
mentality that argues that I
should have pretended not to
see them, because it wasn't my
business.”
“A lot of us didn't expect to
live the week out. Some of us
had visions of spending fifty
years in prison for treason. We
got over it. We quickly learned
that ours would be a long fight
and that most of us would
live to see it through. We also
learned that if we dared to
struggle and dared to win, we
could finally create in Ireland
the kind of society that would
reclaim the land of Ireland for
all the people of Ireland. We
know it won't be an easy fight.
But we're determined to win
this time.”

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25

FREE

CHELSEA
MANNING

SOLDIER OF HUMANITY
WIKILEAKS WHISTLE-BLOWER

!

In the below article U.S. political prisoner
and soldier of humanity Chelsea Manning
discusses the cruelty and inhumanity of the
use of solitary confinement in prisons.
Although Chelsea faces the torture of solitary
confinement from within the U.S. military
prison system, solitary confinement is in
no way a practice isolated to the U.S. In
Canada, the practice is often referred to as
“segregation.” According to a Globe and Mail
article from November of 2015 on any given
day there is an average of 1800 prisoners in
Canada held in solitary confinement.
Just as Chelsea has contemplated, and
recently attempted suicide, women within
the Canadian prison system have also been
brought to the same desperate actions after
being subjected to the psychological and
physical torture of solitary confinement. In
April, 2016, Terry Baker, 30 years old, died
of an apparent suicide while in solitary
confinement at the Grand Valley Institution for
Women, Kitchener, Ontario. Only nine years
previous, a 19 year old woman named Ashley
Smith who was held in the same Kitchener
prison, also died of an apparent suicide.
By Chelsea Manning

Shortly after arriving at a makeshift military
jail, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in May 2010,
I was placed into the black hole of solitary
confinement for the first time. Within two
weeks, I was contemplating suicide.
After a month on suicide watch, I was
transferred back to US, to a tiny 6 x 8ft
(roughly 2 x 2.5 meter) cell in a place that
will haunt me for the rest of my life: the US
Marine Corps Brig in Quantico, Virginia. I
was held there for roughly nine months as a
“prevention of injury” prisoner, a designation
the Marine Corps and the Navy used to place
me in highly restrictive solitary conditions
without a psychiatrist’s approval.
For 17 hours a day, I sat directly in front of
at least two Marine Corps guards seated
behind a one-way mirror. I was not allowed

26

FIRE THIS TIME

“Solitary
confinement
is ‘no touch’
torture, and
it must be
abolished...”

to lay down. I was not allowed to lean my
back against the cell wall. I was not allowed
to exercise. Sometimes, to keep from going
crazy, I would stand up, walk around, or

on torture, Juan Mendez, condemned my
treatment as “cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment”, describing “the excessive and
prolonged isolation” I was placed under for
that period of time. However, he didn’t stop
there. In a preface to the 2014 Spanish edition
of the Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement,
written by Méndez he strongly recommends
against any use of solitary confinement
beyond 15 days.
As Mendez explains:
Prolonged solitary confinement raises
special concerns, because the risk of grave
and irreparable harm to the detained person
increases with the length of isolation and the
uncertainty regarding its duration. In my public
declarations on this theme, I have defined
prolonged solitary confinement as any period
in excess of 15 days. This definition reflects
the fact that most of the scientific literature
shows that, after 15 days, certain changes
in brain functions occur and
the harmful psychological
effects of isolation can become
irreversible.
Unfortunately,
conditions
similar to the ones I experienced
in 2010-11 are hardly unusual
for the estimated 80,000 to
100,000 inmates held in these
conditions across the US every
day.

dance, as “dancing” was not considered
exercise by the Marine Corps.
To pass the time, I counted the hundreds of
holes between the steel bars in a grid pattern
at the front of my empty cell. My eyes traced
the gaps between the bricks on the wall. I
looked at the rough patterns and stains on the
concrete floor – including one that looked like
a caricature grey alien, with large black eyes
and no mouth, that was popular in the 1990s.
I could hear the “drip drop drip” of a leaky
pipe somewhere down the hall. I listened to
the faint buzz of the fluorescent lights.
For brief periods, every other day or so, I was
escorted by a team of at least three guards to
an empty basketball court-sized area. There,
I was shackled and walked around in circles
or figure-eights for 20 minutes. I was not
allowed to stand still, otherwise they would
take me back to my cell.
I was only allowed a couple of hours of
visitation each month to see my friends, family
and lawyers, through a thick glass partition
in a tiny 4 x 6ft room. My hands and feet
were shackled the entire time. Federal agents
installed recording equipment specifically to
monitor my conversations, except with my
lawyers.
The United Nations special rapporteur

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

In the time since my
confinement at Quantico,
public awareness of solitary confinement has
improved by orders of magnitude. People all
across the political spectrum – including some
who have never been in solitary or known
anyone who has – are now beginning to
question whether this practice is a moral and
ethical one. In June 2015, US supreme court
justice Anthony Kennedy called the prison
system “overlooked” and “misunderstood”,
stating that he welcomes a case that would
allow the court to review whether or not
solitary confinement is cruel and unusual
under the US constitution.
The evidence is overwhelming that it should
be deemed as such: solitary confinement in
the US is arbitrary, abused and unnecessary
in many situations. It is cruel, degrading and
inhumane, and is effectively a “no touch”
torture. We should end the practice quickly
and completely.
Private Chelsea Manning is a US soldier
sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking
classified US diplomatic cables, videos and
documents. Published on the whistleblower site
Wikileaks, they exposed US war crimes around
the world including mass killings, torture,
corruption, and the government’s attempted
cover-up of their atrocities. For more info visit:
www.chelseamanning.org
Follow Chelsea on Twitter: @xychelsea

• Cuba Strongly Rejects Coup in Brazil •

Declaration by the Revolutionary Government of Cuba:

Declaración del Gobierno Revolucionario de Cuba:

The Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Cuba strongly rejects El Gobierno Revolucionario de la República de Cuba rechaza enérgicamente
the parliamentary and judicial coup d'état perpetrated against President el golpe de estado parlamentario-judicial que se ha consumado contra la
Dilma Rousseff.
Presidenta Dilma Rousseff.
The Government’s estrangement from the President, without presenting
any evidence of corruption or crimes of responsibility against her, as
well as from the Workers’ Party (PT) and other left-wing allied political
forces, is an act of defiance against the sovereign will of the people who
voted for her.

The governments headed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma
Rousseff implemented a socio-economic model that made it possible
for Brazil to take a step forward in areas such as production growth
with social inclusion, the creation of jobs, the fight against poverty, the
eradication of extreme poverty among more than 35 million Brazilians
who used to live in inhumane conditions and income increase for another
40 million; the expansion of opportunities in the areas of education
and health for the people, including
those sectors who had been previously
marginalized.çDuring this period, Brazil
has been an active promoter of Latin
American and Caribbean integration.
The defeat of the Free Trade Agreement
of the Americas (FTAA), the celebration
of the Latin American and Caribbean
Summit on Integration and Development
(CALC) which led to the creation of
CELAC and foundation of UNASUR are
transcendental events in the recent history
of the region which show the leading role
played by that country.

Asimismo, su proyección hacia las naciones
del Tercer Mundo, en especial de África;
Likewise, Brazil’s approach to the Third
su activa membrecía en el Grupo BRICS
World nations, particularly Africa; its
(Brasil, Rusia, India, China y Sudáfrica) y su
active membership in the BRICS Group
desempeño en el marco de la Organización
Brazilian
President
Dilma
Rousseff
&
Cuban
President
Raul
Castro
(made up by Brazil, Russia, India, China
de las Naciones Unidas, la Organización
and South Africa); and its performance at
de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) y
the United Nations Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization
la Organización Mundial del Comercio, entre otras, constituyen un
of the United Nations (FAO); and the World Trade Organization, among
reconocimiento a su liderazgo internacional.
others, are an acknowledgement of its international leadership.
Merece elogio también la ejecutoria brasileña bajo los gobiernos del PT
Equally praiseworthy has been Brazil’s performance under the Workers’
en temas cruciales de la situación internacional en defensa de la paz, el
Party governments in crucial international issues for the defense of
desarrollo, el medio ambiente y los programas contra el hambre.
peace, development, the environment and the programs against hunger.
Son ampliamente conocidos los esfuerzos de Lula y Dilma por reformar el
The efforts made by Lula and Dilma to reform the political system and
sistema político y ordenar el financiamiento de los partidos y sus campañas,
organize the funding of parties and their campaigns as well as in support
así como en el apoyo a las investigaciones contra la corrupción que fueron
of the investigations started against corruption and the independence of
abiertas y a la independencia de las instituciones encargadas de ellas.
the institutions responsible for such investigations are too well known.
Las fuerzas que ahora ejercen el poder han anunciado medidas
The forces that are currently exercising power have announced the
privatizadoras sobre las reservas petrolíferas en aguas profundas y cortes
privatization of deep water oil reserves and social programs curtailments.
a los programas sociales. Igualmente, enuncian una política exterior que
Likewise, they are proclaiming a foreign policy focused on the relations
privilegia las relaciones con los grandes centros de poder internacionales.
with the big international centers of power. Quite a few among those who
No pocos de quienes juzgan a la Presidenta están bajo investigación por
are impeaching the President are currently under investigation for acts
actos de corrupción.
of corruption.
Lo ocurrido en Brasil es otra expresión de la ofensiva del imperialismo y la
What happened in Brazil is another expression of the offensive of
oligarquía contra los gobiernos revolucionarios y progresistas de América
imperialism and the oligarchy against the revolutionary and progressive
Latina y el Caribe, que amenaza la paz y la estabilidad de las naciones,
governments of Latin America and the Caribbean which threatens peace
contraviniendo el espíritu y la letra de la Proclama de América Latina y el
and stability of nations and is contrary to the spirit and the letter of the
Caribe como Zona de Paz, firmada en la II Cumbre de la CELAC, en enero
Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace,
de 2014, en La Habana por los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno de la región.
signed at the Second CELAC Summit in January, 2014, in Havana by the
Heads of State and Government of the region.
Cuba ratifica su solidaridad con la Presidenta Dilma y el compañero Lula,
con el Partido de los Trabajadores, y expresa su confianza en que el pueblo
Cuba reiterates its solidarity with President Dilma and comrade Lula as
brasileño defenderá las conquistas sociales alcanzadas, se opondrá con
well as with the Worker’s Party, and is confident that the Brazilian people
determinación a las políticas neoliberales que intenten imponerle y al
will defend the social achievements that have been attained and will
despojo de sus recursos naturales.
resolutely oppose the neoliberal policies that others may try to impose on
them and the plundering of its natural resources.
La Habana, 31 de agosto de 2016.
(Cubaminrex)
Havana, August 31, 2016.
(Cubaminrex)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses
large pro-government rally on Sept. 1, 2016
national and international media attention
in August 2005 for her extended antiwar
protest at a camp outside then President
George W. Bush’s Texas ranch. She has
continued to be very active in many social
justice movements including travelling to
Venezuela and Cuba and writing the book,
“Revolution, A Love Story: A Better World
is Possible” about Venezuela.

Cindy Sheehan
The following interview with Alison
Bodine, the Coordinator of the Fire This
Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign by
prominent U.S. antiwar and social justice
activist and “Peace Mom” Cindy Sheehan
first aired on the Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox”
radio on September 4, 2016. To hear the below
interview, as well as for other interesting
and informative podcasts and articles, please
visit http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.ca/
Cindy Sheehan is an American social justice
organizer whose son,Casey Sheehan, was
killed during the Iraq War. She attracted

Cindy Sheehan: Welcome back to the
Soapbox, I’m your host Cindy Sheehan.
This week our guest is Alison Bodine.
Alison is an antiwar and social justice
activist, writer and researcher at the
newspaper Fire This Time. She also works
with Venezuela solidarity networks in
the U.S. and Canada. We will be talking
about corporate media lies about what
is happening in Venezuela and what is
really happening in Venezuela.
Alison Bodine, welcome to Cindy’s
Sheehan’s Soapbox.
Alison Bodine: Thank you Cindy, good
morning, thanks for having me.
Cindy: No problem, tell my listeners a
little bit about yourself, your background
and why you are so interested in
Venezuelan politics and what is
happening in Venezuela.

Alison Bodine

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FIRE THIS TIME

Alison: Today, I am the Coordinator of a
campaign in Vancouver, Canada we have,
the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity
Campaign. Fire This Time is a social
justice movement, as well as a social
justice newspaper that is distributed
for free up here in Vancouver, British
Columbia and sent around the world.
Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

We have been publishing for just over 10
years.
I have been involved since the beginning
of Fire This Time, when I moved here
from Colorado. I am originally from the
United States and that is where I became
interested in issues of social justice.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan and Iraq
when I was in high school and I became
involved in antiwar protests. Then, I
came to Vancouver, British Columbia
and got involved in the movement here
and began to learn that the world is not
only about the death and destruction
caused around the world by the U.S.
government and their allies, but that it is
also a world that has hope for building
a better world. I found out more about
Cuba and the Cuban Revolution as well
as about Venezuela and the Bolivarian
Revolution.
I really became involved in Venezuela
solidarity work because of that hope that
I believe that Venezuela offers to people
around the world. That hope that we can
build a more just and equal society based
on social justice, based on the interests of
the masses of the people, and that all of
it is possible. Seeing Venezuela and Cuba
as that hope, and working in solidarity
campaigns here in Canada has been a
big important part of my life ever since
I found them.
Cindy: For my listeners this is a frequent
subject on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox
and I wrote a book about the Bolivarian
Revolution called “Revolution, A Love
Story.” But, tell my listeners, refresh their
memories, what was the vision of Hugo

Chavez and his Bolivarian
Revolution?
Alison: When Hugo Chavez
was elected in 1998 and took
office in 1999 it was to build a
Venezuela that was sovereign
and self-determined, free from
U.S. chains, the yoke of the
United States and imperialism
which had been ruling for
hundreds of years. It was to
reverse the ills that had been
brought by colonization more
than 500 years ago and to build
a more just and equal society
in Venezuela. This started with
basic human rights: healthcare,
education, the right to access to food and
dignified housing, the right to work. All
of these things became the goal of the
Bolivarian Revolution, to fight for the
masses of poor and working people in
Venezuela and to build a more just and
equal society. Socialism became the
path towards this. Hugo Chavez said it
directly.
I think that the most concrete action
that we can look towards today, are
the beginning of the social missions in
Venezuela, which still exist today and
are building and growing. They are the
hallmark of the Bolivarian Revolution,
social missions meant to bring people
those basic human rights.
Cindy: Part of the vision also, of the
Bolivarian Revolution wasn’t just to
build social and economic equality in
Venezuela, but it also was to unite Latin
America and the Caribbean together
against the United States. That was
becoming very successful during Chavez’
lifetime. It seemed like he made Cuba
and Fidel prominent and more respected
in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The OAS states finally united together
and said that if Cuba is not going to be
involved anymore, we are not going to be
involved, except of course for the United
States and Canada. But, now it looks like
since Chavez’ death, the United States
has re-doubled its efforts to undermine
that solidarity.
Alison: It is very true; I think that has
been one of the most significant gains
of the Bolivarian Revolution. We can
talk about the development of ALBA,
for instance, and MercoSUR, .These
organizations are meant to be, and have
really become, a counter-balance to the
free trade agreements that have been
run by the United States and their allies

to talk about, the so-called food
shortages, the crime, you know
everything that we hear about
“evil Venezuela.” We need to
dispel those myths and talk
about why they are happening
and what’s really happening.

across Latin America.
Bringing solidarity between countries,
including Venezuela, is definitely a big
part of the Bolivarian Revolution. Even
its name, after Simon Bolivar, the great
Latin American Liberator whose goal was
also to unite Latin America, is definitely
where they take their essence and vision
as you have said.
I think that Venezuela brought what we
could refer to as the “winds of change” to
Latin American, with the inspiration of the
Cuban Revolution and working together
through that experience, the Bolivarian
Revolution has also brought with it other
social movements across Latin America.
Ecuador, Bolivia, all of these countries.
The United States is very concerned with
overthrowing the Bolivarian Revolution
and all of the positive changes that have
taken place across Latin America, as well
as breaking that solidarity.
The OAS has been part of this. The motion
to except Cuba definitely was positive
but as we have seen with Venezuela,
especially over the last few months, the
OAS, the head of the OAS, is still very
much in the hands of the United States
and is really making moves to break that
solidarity and overthrow the Bolivarian
Revolution.
Cindy:
…which really has been
happening since 1998. Since Chavez was
elected, the United States has worked
really hard to undermine that. Of course,
they were not successful during Chavez
life, but as I said earlier they re-doubled
their efforts to get Venezuela back into
the hands of the Oil-garchy and other
profiteers. They have worked over-time
to destabilize that country but we hear
nothing but lies here in the United States
about what’s happening in Venezuela. So,
that is what I wanted to have you on here
FIRE THIS TIME

Alison:
Thank you again
for having me on here to talk
about that, because I think,
really, if we look around, the
biggest thing that is not being
discussed in media here, in
North America especially or in
any Western media, is what is
really happening in Venezuela.
Instead they are talking about
Venezuela using very exaggerated terms,
very “crisis” terms.
We could look at just two days ago,
September 1. I will start there as an
excellent example of the way that media
is using lies and manipulations and really
deliberately leaving out especially the
role of the U.S. government in Latin
America, historically, and today. The U.S.
government is funding organizations that
are working against the interests of the
majority of people in Latin America and
Venezuela.
September 1 was a day in Venezuela in
which the opposition right-wing, the
violent opposition right-wing which is
backed by the United States, had declared
a “takeover of Caracas,” the capital
city of Venezuela. During these actions
they attempted to bring supporters of
the opposition into Caracas as well as
made threats for further action against
the Bolivarian Revolution and against
the democratically-elected government
of President Nicolas Maduro. The media
two days ago showed photos of these
demonstrations, they showed photos
of opposition marches in the streets of
Caracas and also attempted to portray
the government of Venezuela as being
heavy-handed against these protests.
But, they never once showed photos
of the masses of people in support of
the government and of the Bolivarian
Revolution that marched in the streets,
not only in Caracas, but in every public
square in cities across Venezuela. They
also never talked about the fact that
these same organizers of this so-called
takeover of Caracas, were also the same
that organized violent riots in 2014
known as the Guarimbas which killed 43
people and injured over 700.

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29

They didn’t talk either, of course,
about the 2002 attempted coup
against Hugo Chavez that was
overturned by the people of
Venezuela in less than 48 hours,
and the various coup attempts that
have taken place between now
and then. They didn’t being that
into the context when they talked
about Venezuela arresting people
with bomb-making materials, or
finding someone with a sniper gun.
The media completely ignored
this pattern of violence from the
opposition. Instead they tried to
say that those people marching in
the streets for the opposition were those
that were “fighting for democracy,” were
those that were “fighting for their right to
have their voices heard.”

is not being deliberately slowed
down in production anymore by
their capitalist bosses. They really
have been able to take over control
and continue producing what
they need to in order to supply
basic goods to the Venezuelan
population. This one factory, for
example, produced about 20%
of the national demand for these
sort of basic hygiene goods in
Venezuela, so there is a very
significant impact in getting it up
and running again normally.
well as the distribution and production
of basic goods, is not in the hands of the
Venezuelan government. It is still in the
hands of private companies and factories,
multi-nationals that operate in Venezuela.

This is just one example of the way that
media ignores, and completely refuses
to discuss the role of the United States
in Venezuela and in Latin America, and
their support of this violent right-wing
opposition. They ignore it because it
helps them in their overall campaign to be
the mouthpiece of the U.S. government,
a government which is interested in
overthrowing the Bolivarian Revolution
and the example that they have set for
people not only in Latin America, but also
around the world. That is why Venezuela
is such a threat, because it represents hope
for people in the Middle East, in North
Africa, hope for all oppressed people to
that demonstrates that you can take your
sovereignty and self-determination back
and fight for a country independent of the
United States.

Cindy: Talk about what happened to
Kimberly Clark, for example.

As well, the September 1 protests took
place in the context of an economic war
in Venezuela. This has been another
example of how major capitalist media
around the world has ignored what is
actually happening on the ground in
Venezuela. They use words like “massive
hunger” and “starvation,” they claim
that there is so much of shortage that
hoards of people are even “eating a
horse” as one media reported. These
are really exaggerated claims of what is
happening in Venezuela, which is facing
an economic crisis, but also taking steps
to remedy it.

So the Venezuelan government responded
to this and investigated, of course, and
found the opposite of what the company
had claimed. That the warehouses
were, in fact, well-stocked and that the
company had just shut down the factory,
like I said before, because they didn’t
think they were making enough profit.
In Venezuela there are very strict rules
about how much goods can be sold for
and this has created problems for multinational companies and those that are in
the hands of the right-wing and capitalist
class in Venezuela.

Currently, Venezuela’s exports largely
depend on oil exports. The price of oil has
plummeted, which has created problems
with the economy of Venezuela. But
the other thing that they don’t describe
ever, is the fact that the vast majority
of food distribution and production, as

Now the government of Venezuela has
turned over the factory to the workers,
and it has been re-opened and it has
continued production. There has been a
visible improvement in the availability
of basic goods in Venezuela because
this factory is once again producing. It’s
goods are not being hoarded anymore, it

30

FIRE THIS TIME

Alison: Exactly, Kimberly Clark is a
name that is familiar to all of us because
it is a company that operates in the United
States and North America. It is a multinational, gigantic company that was
producing basically hygiene goods in
Venezuela. They had a factory in Aragua,
Venezuela that they shut down. They
decided that it wasn’t making enough
profit and they closed the doors, firing
over 900 employees. They also claimed
at the time that they didn’t have the raw
materials that they needed to make their
goods. This is something that different
private factories have been saying in
Venezuela, especially over the last two
years or so.

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

Cindy: See, that’s the issue. Some
of us feel like that kind of thing, like the
government taking over businesses and
production and putting it in the hands of
the people Venezuela could have been
done faster, could have been done more.
But, you know I have spent significant
time with Chavez and he would impress
that he is, he was, the President of
everybody in Venezuela and if companies
were price-gouging, or they were taking
advantage of the people in Venezuela
there would be no issue about it, they
would take that industry or the stores and
they would nationalize those industries.
Talk about that I little bit. The
misconception here in the United States
of course is that Chavez went in there
with a heavy hand and he didn’t even
nationalize completely the oil industry,
which I feel like he should have.
Alison: I think that we all have our own
ideas about Venezuela and what we think
could have been done or not been done.
But, I think it is important what you said,
that it has to all be put in context as well.
As solidarity activists first of all, in
the United States, in North America , I
would say it is our main role to defend
the sovereignty and self-determination of
Venezuela and let them figure out their
economy and how they want to run the
country based on end to U.S. intervention
in the country. That is our main role.
But, I would also say that that there has
been moves made by both President
Hugo Chavez as well as by Nicolas
Maduro to really combat this pricegouging, the hoarding. But it is a balance
where we have to understand more about
the context. There is a violent opposition
that is really attempting to overthrow the
revolution, and they will use whatever
means. think that the government has to
take this into account with any decisions
that they make about how far to take the

nationalizations or the takeover of
factories.
It is interesting to see the response
that Nicolas Maduro has had
reflected in major media in North
America. The positive steps that the
government has taken in the past
few years, the government attempts
to diversify the economy, to increase
the amount of food production in
Venezuela, to distribute food in a
way that goes around these private
companies, have all been met with
complete hostility in the U.S. media.

That Executive Order was renewed
one year later, in March of 2016.
It continues to enable further U.S.
sanctions against Venezuela and
also to build that political support
that they U.S. government needs to
continue their attacks.

Pro-government rally in Miranda State, Sept. 1, 2016

When the government of Venezuela
involves the military in helping
to distribute food it is suddenly a
militarization of food distribution and “no
one is going to get to the food.” When we
learn about the community gardens and
incentives for people to plant more food
it is referred in major media as “forced
labour in Venezuela.”

They are still twisting what the
government is doing in response to this
economic crisis at every turn. They did
the same thing under President Hugo
Chavez and they continue that under
President Nicolas Maduro. It is a very
concerted campaign to make sure that
people in the North America really don’t
know what is actually happening in
Venezuela. They don’t know about the
community initiatives, the gardens and
cooperatives, they don’t understand how
food distribution works in Venezuela.
People are meant to be confused enough
so that the U.S. can make their threats
against the government, can increase
their military presence in the region and
can even directly say, as one diplomat
did a few days ago that “maybe this food
crisis is going to necessitate foreign aid
and intervention.” This is something
that should be unheard of for the United
States to be able to say when it comes to
Venezuela and Latin America.
Cindy: We are running out of time,
but there is one thing that I wanted
you to address before we do run out
of time. In your recent article in Fire
This Time, called “Revolution and
Counter-Revolution in Venezuela: the
Economic War and Mass Media Lies and
Deceptions” [see Fire This Time, Volume
10, Issue 8], you point out that , when
it was obvious that the opposition was
going to take the Parliament in the last
elections in Venezuela in 2015, Hillary
Clinton said “We’re winning, we’re
winning,” or something similar. Who is

“we”? I mean, this is what you are talking
about. The United States and Hillary
Clinton have no business about what is
happening in Venezuela, so who is this
“we” that she is talking about?
Alison: This “we” is the very friendly
hand-in-hand relationship that the
government of the United States has with
the opposition in Venezuela. Imperialism
in Latin America, the U.S. government
and their allies, consider the opposition
in Venezuela to be their good friends. You
can see that through the words of Hillary
Clinton as well as through their history.
Henrique Capriles is a name that
people hear in U.S. media, when it
comes to Venezuela, as a member of
the opposition. He is part of a political
party called “Justice First,” or “Primera
Justicia” that began as a U.S.-funded
project in Venezuela, funded through USAid in the 90’s. This party and similar
organizations have continued to receive
U.S. political and financial support. This
U.S. support is the most important thing
for us to discuss.
Whether it is through the U.S.
Presidential election, when we have
Hillary Clinton making these statements
against Venezuela, or after, we know that
it is the U.S. government’s interests to
overthrow the Bolivarian Revolution and
the government of Venezuela. Definitely
we have to build and work on building
more education about this. About the
violent opposition, the campaign of U.S.
sanctions, the campaign of U.S. military
actions off the coast of Venezuela, as well
as about Obama’s Executive Order. This
Executive Order was first released in
March, 2015 that declared that Venezuela
was somehow a “threat to U.S. national
security.” A country that is building
social justice, and has never attacked
the United States is suddenly on this list.
FIRE THIS TIME

This is the context in which I
believe it is our responsibility to
build a solidarity movement with
Venezuela. As Fire This Time
in Vancouver we are working to
bring Venezuela to the streets
of Vancouver, to have days of
information, and petitioning the U.S.
government to repeal the Executive
Order and to end the sanctions. I
would encourage your listeners to learn
more about the Bolivarian Revolution and
to get involved. I have written multiple
articles, especially since the December
elections in Venezuela, in the Fire This
Time newspaper. I encourage people to
go to www.firethistime.net to see those
articles and also how to get involved in
the solidarity movement.
Cindy: It will be linked, the articles will
be linked on the Soapbox too when I put
this show up. What really gets me about
Barack Obama declaring that Venezuela
is a threat to the United States is that, as
you said Venezuela has never attacked the
United States, it has never really attacked
anybody. It has not been in any wars, it
is not occupying any foreign countries.
That’s actually the United States. I would
like to declare the United States a threat
to the world.
Alison: I agree completely, the U.S. is
the number one threat to the world and
Venezuela is a hope for all of us. We saw
that when people marched on the streets
on September 1, when supporters of the
Bolivarian Revolution marched on the
streets in Venezuela and really prevented
coup and violence and destabilization in
Venezuela. We see them continuing to
build.
It is our responsibility not only to talk
about that, but to demand U.S. Hands Off
Venezuela and exactly, to declare as you
said, that the U.S. is in fact a threat to the
world.
Cindy: Alison Bodine that you so much
for your work and thank you so much
for taking your time to be on Cindy
Sheehan’s Soapbox this week.
Alison: Thank you.

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

31

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF PEOPLE OF YEMEN:
A GREAT START FOR BUILDING AN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT
AGAINST IMPOSED WAR BY SAUDI ARABIA AND THE UNITED STATES

From Yemen to London to Vancouver, peace-loving people demand US/Saudi
Arabia Hands Off Yemen!
By Janine Solanki
For nearly the last year and a half, Yemen has
been under a Saudi-led war and subject to near
daily airstrikes. The Saudi-led bombing has
indiscriminately targeting homes and schools,
hospitals and mosques, transport centers such
as airports, sea ports and bridges, water supply and power infrastructure, factories and
agricultural areas, and many other sites. As
if destroying Yemen's present and future is
not enough, Saudi Arabia is also wiping out
Yemen's past, as some of the oldest historical
and archaeological sites, precious gems in not
only Yemen's history but for all of humanity
and civilization, have also been bombed.

ence started out with live streaming video
direct from Yemen’s capital of Sana’a, where
a massive demonstration was taking place
against the Saudi-led war. Footage showed
huge crowds of over a million Yemeni people
joining together, chanting and holding flags
and banners in the face of Saudi fighter jets
circling overhead and bombing nearby. The
conference MC Ahmen Almoaiad from Sheba
for Democracy and Human Rights introduced
the opening keynote speaker, Lindsay German, who is the convenor of the UK-based

This brutal war has resulted in over 10,000
people killed, 30,000 injured and at least 3
million people displaced internally or forced
to become refugees in neighboring countries.
Along with the bombing campaign, Yemen
is also subject to an air, sea and land blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition. This
has caused a humanitarian crisis of the highest levels, with over 14 million people facing
food insecurity, of whom 8 million are severely food insecure, over 19 million people
lacking clean water and sanitation and over 14
million without adequate healthcare.
While this is a Saudi-led war, it isn't without
the support and backing of the U.S. government, who along with arms deals are providing logistical and intelligence support.
Alongside U.S. imperialist support, Canada is
moving forward on the world's second largest
arms deal with Saudi Arabia, with a $15 billion deal to supply military so-called “light”
armored vehicles.
The International Conference in Support
of the Yemeni People took place in London, England from August 20th to 21st 2016
and was sponsored by: Stop the War Coalition, Campaign Against Arms Trade, Human
Rights for Yemen, Sheba for Democracy and
Human Rights and Arabian Rights Watch Association. The conference brought together
hundreds of antiwar and human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, academics, politicians and community leaders from over 20
countries. Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) in Vancouver, Canada was
invited to attend and represent Canada’s antiwar organizing against the war on Yemen, and
sent a delegation of five to the conference. As
well, some members of Fire This Time newspaper Editorial Board participated in the conference.
On August 20th the first day of the confer-

32

FIRE THIS TIME

Stop the War Coalition. Various Members of
Parliament spoke including Scottish MP Tasmina Ahmed-Shiekh of the Scottish National
Party, MP and Sinn Féin politician Francie
Molloy and Pauline McNeill, a Scottish MP
for Glasgow Region. Speakers also included
Unite union chief-of-staff Andrew Murray,
Dr Riaz Karim, the Mona Relief co-founder,
Andrew Smith from Campaign Against Arms
Trade, and Sami Ramadan from Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation.

men was discussed by Jan Fermon, an international lawyer and professor, and Dr.Kamal
Hilbawy spoke via video link from Kuwait
because the UK had denied his visa, and
called for an end to US foreign bases. One of
the final speakers was Abdulhameed Dashti, a
Kuwaiti MP living in Britain.
A final declaration from the conference was
presented by the conference organizers,
which included demanding that UN member
countries respect the sovereign will of the
Yemeni people and called for an immediate
end to the use of force against the sovereign
Yemeni people. As the conference closed, a
direct satellite link was opened to news channels in Yemen and several Arabic news channels throughout the Middle East, broadcasting
the conference and it’s participants to Yemen
where people could see the international support joining together in defense of Yemen.
The International Conference to Support Yemeni People was a great opportunity to establish more international connections for organizations and individuals organizing around
the world against the war on Yemen. From the
work that MAWO is doing to protest and petition against Canada’s $15 billion arms deal
with Saudi Arabia, we were able to find out
about similar organizing going on in European countries whose governments also are
selling arms to Saudi Arabia.
Going forward the conference has set the
tone for more coordination and collaboration internationally, to make antiwar organizing against the war on Yemen more
united and effective. From Yemen to London to Vancouver, together we demand:

Day two of the conference began with UniUS and Saudi Arabia Hands Off Yemen!
versity of Tehran Professor of CommunicaStop Bombing Yemen!
tions Saied Reza Ameli on the topic “US/
Canada: Cancel the Arms Deal with Saudi
Saudi Exceptionalism”. Other speakers inArabia!
cluded Kim Sharif from Human Rights For
Follow Janine Solanki on Twitter:
Yemen, human rights activist Abdulsalaam
@janinesolanki
Aldhahebi. Participants were eager
to hear the prominent former UK MP
and Respect Party leader George Galloway, who spoke on the topic “The
Role of Saudi Arabia in Promotion of
Terrorism”. The conference continued
with an excerpt from the documentary film “Ibrahim’s Fateful Evening”
presented by Ahlulbayt TV journalist
Mohammad Ali Carter, which showed
the human cost of the war through the
tragic bombing of one Yemeni family
MAWO's delegation to the Internationl Conference in
home. The illegality of the war on YeSupport of Yemen

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

continued from page 17

In the summer of 1992 it was found that
the Northern Cod stock had fallen to 1%
of its earlier level from over fishing and
mismanagement. 35,000 jobs were lost
almost overnight and many communities
were devastated. On the other coast of the
county, according to a report from the BC
Government Employees Union, between
2001 and 2011 70 mills closed in BC alone
and 36,000 jobs were lost.
All of this was because of unsustainable,
greedy development by corporations
seeking short-term super-profits. They
chomped their way through the waters and
the forests, and are not focused on the black
gold under the soil. We see it again in the
way the oil industry chews up workers and
then spits them out as soon as the oil runs
out or its no longer profitable. The slow
down in Alberta’s tar sands means that the
province’s unemployment rates are at a
20 year high, while CBC reported that the
suicide rate climbed 30%.
Where are these big corporations now?
What’s their level of concern for our well
being? The truth is we can’t trust them with
our jobs, our planet or our lives.
System Change Not Climate Change!
We can’t understate the significance of
the unanimous decision by the people of
Lax’walams who rejected the 1.25 billion
dollar offer from Petronas to shut up and
allow the LNG plant to be built. They are
going through the same, and often worse,
economic and social challenges we are all
and 1.25 billion dollars is a vast sum of
money. But their people are not motivated
by the short term, and their criteria isn’t just
financial gain. This allows them to make
bold and important stances against the
unsustainable resources extraction projects,
just like the people gathering at the Standing
Rock Camp in North Dakota are doing.
Opposition to these projects is most
effective when it is broad and united. It is
also most effective when organizers have a
clear understanding that under the capitalist
system, where competition for profits is
more important than cooperation between
people – the planet will always be under
attack. There is no more scientific debate.
If we do not change things drastically
now humanity is threatened. The situation
is difficult, but we can gain strength and
confidence from seeing everywhere around
us people standing up for their rights and for
the planet. We can join them and build the
better and sustainable world we all need and
deserve!

Viva Venezuela!

Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Gains Momentum!
Activists from Ottawa to Vancouver, Resolve to Continue
Actions in Defense of Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution
By Alison Bodine & Janine Solanki
The mainstream media and U.S. politicians
are all touting the same line on Venezuela –
that the country has fallen into an economic
crisis, which has brought it to a humanitarian
crisis. The only protests on the streets which
are reported on are those by right-wing, antigovernment forces aiming to overthrow the
legitimate Venezuelan President Maduro.
What the mainstream media is not reporting is
that this is not just an
economic crisis, but
an economic war orchestrated by the US
government and their
imperialist
allies,
working
hand-inhand with the violent
counterrevolutionary
opposition. That the
shortage of goods
can find its source at
the hands of Venezuela's right-wing opposition, who owns
most of the food and
commodity production. U.S. politicians and mainstream media are
not applauding the efforts of the Venezuelan
government to combat price gouging and the
hording and smuggling of goods. Mainstream
media is definitely not showing video footage
or photos of the massive demonstrations in
support of Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution,
or publishing the dangerous threats of violence
called for by the Venezuelan counterrevolutionary opposition.
It is in the interests of U.S. imperialism to see
Venezuela return to the impoverished country
it was before Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution came to power and started working in the
interests of poor and working people in Venezuela. Here in Canada, peace-loving people
are working in defense of the Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution, armed with the truth in the
face of imperialist lies.
On August 7, 2016 the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign was invited to participate in the second conference “Day of Solidarity with Venezuela,” a gathering organized
by the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela in Ottawa. This conference included presentations and workshops about the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela as well as an
opportunity for solidarity groups and activists
to discuss how to build a stronger Venezuela
solidarity movement across Canada.
Among other presentations, there was a pow-

FIRE THIS TIME

erful speech by the Venezuelan Ambassador
to Canada Wilmer Barrientos, as well as a
lively and informative discussion on the role
of social media and how to use social media in
a Venezuela solidarity campaign. Participants
in the solidarity conference also received materials to use in their continuing work for
Venezuela; this included a copy of Fire This
Time newspaper, which was given to every
participant by the Venezuelan Embassy.
Back in Vancouver, Canada
the Fire This
Time Venezuela Solidarity
Campaign organized a day
of action for
Venezuela on
August 19. This
action
once
again brought
people from a
wide-range of
backgrounds to
the streets of
Vancouver in
solidarity with
Venezuela. First, at a protest at the U.S. Consulate, then at an information table and petitioning for U.S. Hands Off Venezuela at the
Vancouver Art Gallery.
The picket at the U.S. Consulate was MC’d by
Max Tennant, a central organizer with the Fire
This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign,
who led rounds of lively chants and picketing. He introduced also welcome speakers at
the demonstration including Brian Sproule
from the CPC-ML and David Whittelsey,
a long-time antiwar activist. There were also
greetings from Alison Bodine, the Coordinator of the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, who was participating in an
antiwar conference in London, England. The
picket closed with poetry by social justice and
Cuba solidarity activist Shakeel Lochan.
As the U.S. began intensifying its attacks
on Venezuela following the December elections, the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign has organized an action in
the streets of Vancouver every month. From
Ottawa to Vancouver, we are committed to
working with other groups across Canada and
around the world build a stronger and more
united movement in solidarity with Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution to demand:
U.S. Hands Off Venezuela!
Self-Determination for Venezuela NOW!

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

33

continued from page 5

purchase of essential items?
Ambassador Barrientos: I come from the
area with an open border with Colombia.
Historically, all borders are areas of much
legal and illegal economic exchange. Yes,
it is true that many Venezuelans have gone;
many Colombians have gone to Venezuela
as well. But why do you think Venezuela
closed its border with Colombia and then
reopened it after a year?
On August 11, 2015 the national
Government announced the closure of
a 2,200 km section of the border with
Colombia in Tachira state for an indefinite
period. The measure was adopted by
the Venezuelan State in response to the
injury of three Bolivarian Armed Forces
by paramilitary groups. This closure
also sought to halt the smuggling of fuel,
food, and medicines, among other items,
that attacks the economic stability of the
Venezuelan region.
Today, according to the figures of the
Bolivarian government of Venezuela at
least 5 million Colombians have migrated
to our country. The majority of which
are people fleeing difficult situations of
internal conflict or humanitarian crisis, for
which Venezuela have always given them
solidarity and protection.
A BBC report has found that in the brother
country of Colombia, the smuggling of
Venezuelan gasoline is more lucrative
than drug trafficking. Because gasoline
is so cheap in Venezuela, its smuggling
to Colombia has become a business with
a yield of 10,000%, according to a report
from the Directorate of Taxes and Customs
of Colombia.
Other military authorities in Colombia,
where gasoline is one of the most expensive
in Latin America at $1.1 USD a liter, have
said that because of this profitability,
smuggling has been linked branches of the

guerrillas and the Colombian paramilitaries.
In fact, according to the Center for Security
and Drug Studies at the University of
the Andes in Bogota, an increase in the
effectiveness of drug seizures has caused
some drug cartels to become gasoline
cartels.
According to PDVSA numbers, 100,000
barrels of oil (5% of its total daily
production) move from Venezuela to
Colombia daily. Also according to the
PDVSA, smuggling generates losses for
Venezuela of as much as $1.400 billion
USD per year.
We have briefly discussed the example
of gasoline, but certainly this is only one
item. This same situation happens with
food and medicine, energy, vehicles and
other necessities. Some examples of this
are: a box of Glucophage, vital medicine
for diabetics, costs less than ten Bolivars in
Venezuela and about fifty or sixty Bolivars
in Colombia; precooked corn flour, costs
7.5 Bolivars in Venezuela and more than
55 Bolivars in Colombia.
In this sense the smuggling of food,
medicine, and fuel from Venezuela to
Colombia brings shortages and promotes
and black markets or parallel markets for
staple products. These cited examples are
consistent with the position and reality
of our brother country. Chancellor of the
Republic, Delcy Rodriguez, asked the
government of Colombia to exercise control
over the exchange rate of the Bolivar.
Her Colombian counterpart has relied
negatively to this, arguing that the price
difference in products and fuels subsidized
in Venezuela with respect Colombia, “make
it very difficult to control the smuggling.”
FTT: The President, Nicolas Maduro and
the Venezuelan government described
the situation in Venezuela today as an
economic war. What are some of the
measures that the Venezuelan government
has taken in order to combat this economic
war? What do you think is the
level of organization of the
masses against the sabotage of
the counterrevolution?

Ambassador Barrientos: As
previously mentioned, we have
taken actions, one of which
is the implementation of the
“16 production engines.” I
have referenced our website
for
specific
information.
On our website (www.
misionvenezuela.org) there is
interactive and comprehensive
material on these 16 engines.
However, in general terms,
Residents participate in food distribution with CLAP in Carathese motors have been
cas Venezuela

34

FIRE THIS TIME

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

activated in 36 sectors and for 50 priority
items in the country.
For example, Plan 50 has been designed
to help bring the economic emergency in
the country to a position of stability and
growth. This plan was designed around 50
specific goods, items for which there is now
a concentrated effort to produce and sustain
them with our own people, without relying
on a dollar or anyone, in order to guarantee
books and uniforms for our children and
food and services for our people.
Other components of the economic engines
work in prioritized sectors: 1. Food Industry,
2. Pharmaceutical, 3. Industrial, 4. New
exports to generate foreign exchange, 5.
Communal, social and socialist economy, 6.
Hydrocarbons, 7. Petrochemical, 8. Mining,
9. Domestic and international tourism, 10.
Construction, 11.Forestry, 12. Industrial
Military, 13. Telecommunications and
information technology, and 14. public and
private banks.
FTT: And in respect to how well organized
people can make a difference?
Amb. Barrientos: I’m sure it is a blunt
fact, but I will give you an example. The
Executive Branch has created and promoted
the missions, which was the name given by
the humanist President, Hugo Chavez, to a
set of social programs. These missions have
the aim of improving the living conditions of
the people, and of ensuring multiple human
rights to the population; human rights such
as housing, food, health, education, culture,
sport and security, among others.
The recent creation of the Local
Committees of Supply and Production
(CLAP) has constituted a new form of
popular organization responsible, together
with the Ministry of Food, for distributing
products to every house to cover the basic
necessities. This new creation has served
504,000 families across the country, and
strengthened the joint work of popular
power and the Government towards
ensuring the feeding of the people. A total
of 8.4 trillion Bolivars have been approved
President Maduro to be given to governors
across the country to boost the Popular Food
Distribution System. All of the workers in
this network do so voluntarily, consciously
and responsibly.
Thanks to this effort more than 500,000
families have been assisted in 208
municipalities, 464 parishes and 2,034
communities, where volunteers have also
surveyed the needs of the people and then
worked hand-in-hand with the mayors and
governors.
Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette

made in the Boushie case, and others,
betray a sense that the writers can no
longer count on the structures of the
state to support them economically,
politically and socially; as their
privilege diminishes, they respond
with racist and sexist hatred, while
proclaiming their own victimization.”
This white victimization, as discussed
by Mcdougall, is very dangerous. It
attempts to re-write the history of
Canada and paint white Canadians
as the victims of our current social,
political and economic set up. This can
be quickly disproved with statistics,
facts and even anecdotal evidence.
Aboriginal Youth in Canada

explosive year America has ever
witnessed. The most explosive year.
Why? It's also a political year. It's the
year when all of the white politicians
will be back in the so-called Negro
community jiving you and me for
some votes. The year when all of the
white political crooks will be right
back in your and my community
with their false promises, building
up our hopes for a letdown, with
their trickery and their treachery, with
their false promises which they don't
intend to keep. As they nourish these
dissatisfactions, it can only lead to
one thing, an explosion; and now we
have the type of black man on the
scene in America today -- I'm sorry,
Brother Lomax -- who just doesn't
intend to turn the other cheek any
longer.
Don't let anybody tell you anything
about the odds are against you. If they
draft you, they send you to Korea and
make you face 800 million Chinese.
If you can be brave over there, you
can be brave right here. These odds
aren't as great as those odds. And if
you fight here, you will at least know
what you're fighting for."

36

FIRE THIS TIME

The truth is that young Indigenous people
in Canada, like Colten Boushie, are facing
an enormous uphill battle against systemic
racism and inequality. Boushie was a leader
in his community, a loving son, brother,
uncle, nephew and grandson, who was
training to become a firefighter. He may or
may not have been an exceptional member
of his community, either way he was loved
and cherished and did nothing to deserve
being murdered at the hands of a vigilantly
racist.
According to Statistics Canada, First
Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples now make
up at least 4.3% of Canada’s population
of 36 million. This marks a shift in
demographics as First Nations, Métis
and Inuit peoples made up about 2.8% of
Canada’s population in 1996. Indigenous
people in Canada, whether First Nations,
Métis and/or Inuit are also some of the
youngest peoples in Canada, almost half of
their populations are under the age of 26.
This means that Indigenous youth make up
7% of Canada’s youth demographic.

Artwork by @zola_mtl

“By Any Means
Necessar y...”

attempted to destroy Indigenous people,
their culture and their right to determine
their own future.
Young people like Colten Bushie are
being cut down every day in Canada, but
usually in much less obvious ways than
the horrible violence that Colten and his
friends faced on the farm of Gerald Stanley
on August 9, 2016. It is time to change
course in Canada, to empower Indigenous
youth rather than supress them, as has
been the government of Canada’s official
policy since its creation.
Voices for Change Demand Justice for
Colten Boushie
Since Boushie’s murder his community
has been mobilizing demanding “Justice
for Colten”. His family members have
spoken out about what a great friend and
family member he was and how he will be
remembered for many years to come.

Vice Chief of the Federation of Sovereign
Indigenous Nations, Kimberly Jonathan,
outlined for the CBC why it is so important
that Colten Boushie’s name doesn’t
disappear from national headlines, “There
While Aboriginal youth make up 7% of the is a lot at stake here. Not only for the
youth living today in Canada, they make up family who will always miss Colten. But
41% of youth who are entering Canada’s also for all of Saskatchewan and Canada.”
justice system, according to a recent data
published by Canada’s Justice Department. We need to keep up the pressure on the
government, court system and RCMP, all
According to CTV News, “A 2000 report institutions which have a despicable and
from the Canadian Institute of Health, unjust history towards Aboriginal people
suicides among First Nations youth (aged in Canada. People across Canada need to
15 to 24) was about five to six times higher continue taking a public stand and demand
“Justice for Colten.” It is only by raising
than non-aboriginal youth in Canada.”
our voices in solidarity and joining the
These shocking statistics are not because calls for justice and action by Indigenous
Indigenous youth in Canada are somehow people across Canada that we will build
less capable or inherently more depressed towards the better future Indigenous youth
or prone to crime and violence. These need and deserve.
numbers come from hundreds of years
Follow Tamara Hansen on Twitter:
of colonial history in Canada that has
@THans01

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

continued from page 15

fear in society. This reactionary campaign
ensures that people in the U.S., Canada and
Europe see themselves and their interests
as divided from that of refugees and gives
capitalist governments a scapegoat for
deepening economic crisis.
An important component of this campaign
is the way that Western governments have
been able to use their own inaction towards
the refugee crisis to further their attack
on poor, working and oppressed people.
By perpetuating the refugee crisis, and
refusing to give refugees legal and safe
ways to get to Europe and to move within
it, governments are giving far-right political
parties exactly what they need when they
claim that Europe is facing an “invasion.”
And this kind of fear campaigning is not
limited to the far-right, Prime Minister of
the U.K. also referred to refugees coming
to Europe as “swarms,” likening them to
insects instead of human beings desperate
for a safe place to be.
One example of the devastating results
of this campaign in Europe, which is
propelled forward by major capitalist media
and politicians alike, is included in report
presented to the European Union in May,
2015 called the “Europe Islamophobia
Report.” This study documented cases of
violence and harassment against Muslims
across Europe, including violent attacks
and the vandalizing of Mosques and
community centres as well as physical and
verbal assault on Muslims. The report not
only found that Islamophobia was on the
rise across Europe, with attacks increasing
as much as 500% in France in 2015, it
also concluded that the refugee crisis was
fueling resentment towards Muslims across
Europe.
Another way that governments insure that
poor and working people see themselves
as separate from refugees is through their
campaign to ensure that refugees are
equated with terrorists. This can be seen
clearly in the Presidential campaign of
Donald Trump, who, following the shooting
in San Bernardino, California, announced
“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and
complete shutdown of Muslims entering
the United States until our country’s
representatives can figure out what is going
on…”
Similar statements have been used by farright and populist politicians in Europe,
who are also intent on whipping up more
fear and division in society to gain popular
support. According to a Pew Research
Centre survey, this campaign in working,

in Europe, despite the fact that not a single
refugee has been linked to any terrorist
attack, their survey found that “In eight of
the 10 European nations surveyed, half or
more [people surveyed] believe incoming
refugees increase the likelihood of terrorism
in their country.”

Even the family of Alan Kurdi, whose
photograph caused so many politicians
around the world to declare their
commitment to “help” refugees, has not
been able to find permanent housing in
Canada since they arrived.

Through their response to the refugee
crisis, the capitalist class has also imposed
divisions between refugees themselves.
By introducing policies and resettlement
opportunities that are only open to Syrian
refugees, or favour Syrian refugees, they
have created an atmosphere of competition
between refugees. When they are able to
divide refugees between one another it
makes it more difficult for refugees to stand
together for their human and legal rights.

Refugees Welcome! Fighting Back
Against Bigotry & Racism

Canada’s Role in the Refugee Crisis

In response to this racist campaign,
poor and working people in imperialist
countries must demand that all borders
be opened immediately. This is the only
way to immediately alleviate the pain
and suffering of refugees. Refugees must
also be welcomed into Europe, the U.S.
and Canada by granting them full human
and legal rights that enable them to live
dignified lives.

As poor and working people in Canada, it
is important that we recognize the leading
role that Canada has played in the death and
destruction in the Middle East and Africa
that has led to the refugee crisis. Because of
this, Canada has the responsibility to open
its borders to refugees.
As of the end of August, 2016, Canada has
accepted 30,275 refugees. Some people
might argue that by taking in more than
25,000 refugees Canada has fulfilled this
responsibility, but this is far from the truth.
Not only does the government of Canada
need to do more to guarantee refugees
their basic human and legal rights, Canada
also has the responsibility to accept more
refugees from Syria and other parts of the
Middle East and Africa. Canada could
accept 200,000 more refugees this year, and
grant them full human, legal and citizen
rights.
FIRE THIS TIME

As imperialist wars, occupations and
interventions in the Middle East and Africa
expand, the refugee crisis is only going
to continue to grow. In turn, governments
in Europe, the U.S. and Canada are also
going to increase their propagation of hate,
bigotry and Islamophobia in their attempt
to bring the crisis under their control.

As poor and working people we must also
stand with refugees from all over the Middle
East and Africa, people who, like anyone,
do not want to be forced to leave their
homes, families and everything they have
ever known. We have a responsibility to
put an end to the refugee crisis and educate,
organize and mobilize to end imperialist
wars, occupations and interventions!
No to Wars and Occupations! Yes to
Refugees! Open the Borders Now!

Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette

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37

continued from page 3

resources are stretched by taking in
millions of refugees. The war in Syria
has drawn in a number of regional and
international players, including the US,

Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and
other NATO countries including Canada.
The world is now facing a new era of
war and occupation which is expanding
every day. Furthermore, the war abroad
has been matched by a war at home in
imperialist countries. Under the guise
of ‘preventing terrorism’ legislation
restricting the right to freedom of speech
and the right to organize has been passed
in many countries, targeting everyone
from peace activists to environmental
activists to union organizers. The struggle
to defend our own human and democratic
rights is necessarily tied to the struggle
against war.
END CANADA’S INTERVENTION
IN SYRIA AND BEYOND!
For a long time, Canadians have avoided
confronting the Canadian government’s
role in wars abroad, believing that the
warmongers were our neighbours to the
south. However, since the September 11
attacks on the World Trade Centre it has
become increasingly clear to people in
Canada that this government - whether
Liberal or Conservative - is playing an
important role in this new era of war and
occupation. Under a Liberal government,
Canada played a leading role in the
war in Afghanistan, and supported
the US behind the scenes in Iraq. The

38

FIRE THIS TIME

war in Afghanistan was extended by
the Conservative government, and the
Canadian Air Force conducted air strikes
in Libya as well as Syria. The government
of Canada also funded Syrian ‘rebel’
groups to the tune of
$5.3 million, according
to information obtained
by the National Post.
Although
Canada’s
participation in air
strikes in Syria have
ended under the new
Liberal
government,
a number of other
war planes remain,
supporting the US-led
mission.
The government of
Canada
has
spent
billions of taxpayer
dollars on funding
this war drive around
the
world,
while
social programs that
Canadians rely on such as employment
insurance,
public
health care, and education - have faced
funding cuts with the excuse that there
is ‘no money’ to support these programs.
Wouldn’t we people in Canada
prefer that our hard-earned tax
dollars fund these necessities
rather than these ongoing wars
which have utterly failed to
make the world a safer place?
Canada should also open its
doors to refugees of these wars
and significantly expand and
speed up the existing program
to accept Syrian refugees. The
government of Canada has
played a significant part in
creating the wars which led to
the refugee crisis to begin with.
If as they claim they are truly
concerned with the human rights
Syrians, Afghans, Libyans, and
others whose countries they
have invaded or attacked, then
they should open the doors for
200,000 refugees to come to this
country. This is the least Canada
can do for people who have
suffered so much.
WHICH WAY FORWARD
FOR SYRIA?
Until 2011, Syria was a peaceful

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

country, and one of the few remaining
secular democracies in the Middle East.
The influence of terrorists and radical
Islamists in the country was small.
Like any country, it was not without
internal problems and divisions, but
these problems pale in comparison to
the threat Syrians now face from Daesh,
US-backed terrorists and ongoing US
airstrikes. The US and their allies created
the terrorist threat in Syria - they certainly
won’t solve it. The only way forward for
Syria is for the US, Turkey, Canada, and
all other foreign countries to withdraw
all troops, stop the airstrikes, and end all
interference in Syria’s internal affairs.
If the Daesh and the other terrorists are
to be stopped, it must be by the Syrian
government and allies they choose in this
fight.
Now more than ever, Syrians need peaceloving people around the world to unite
to demand an end to foreign intervention
in their country.
No War on Syria!
US and Turkey Out of Syria Now!
Follow Nita Palmer on Twitter: @NGP1z0

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Forgotten War No More!
Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) Protest
Saudi-led War on Yemen in Vancouver
By Janine Solanki
Today in Yemen, bombs are dropping on towns and cities, killing
innocent people and destroying infrastructure. However this is not just
today – nearly every day for the past
17 months, a US-backed Saudi-led
war has been bombarding Yemen
with airstrikes. Saudi Arabia has also
imposed an air, sea and land block- Protest against Saudi bombing of Yemen in the capital Sana'a,
ade, with the help of their imperialist August 20, 2016.
allies including the US, which preRojbi, MAWO Executive Committee member,
vents Yemenis from accessing food, fuel, medireported back from MAWO's delegation to the recines and humanitarian aid.
cent International Conference to Support Yemeni
People in London, England. Azza then introduced
Despite that the mainstream media has ignored
a voice message from Kim Sharif, a main organizthe war against Yemen, to the point that it has
er of the London conference, prominent lawyer
been dubbed “The Forgotten War”, the people of
and the director of Human Rights for Yemen, who
Yemen are making their voices heard loud and
gave solidarity greetings to the rally and thanked
clear. On August 20, 2016, hundreds of thousands
MAWO for joining in the London conference to
of people rallied in Yemen's capital of Sana'a to
support the people of Yemen. Veteran civil rights
protest the US-backed Saudi bombing campaign
and antiwar activist David Whittlesey spoke from
on their country. Videos and photos of the mashis experience from the Vietnam war to today,
sive demonstration are awe-inspiring, especially
and encouraged people to get involved. MAWO
in the face of Saudi fighter jets circling above that
Executive Committee member Janine Solanki
launched airstrikes in nearby areas.
spoke on NATO's increasingly dangerous role as
While the people of Yemen are heroically resista military tool of imperialism, from Yugoslavia to
ing the Saudi-led war against them, in Vancouver,
more recently Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and now
Canada antiwar activists and peace-loving people
it's build up of military forces in Eastern Europe
came together to show support for Yemen on
on the border with Russia. Janine also spoke on
August 26, 2016. Mobilization Against War and
Canada's increasing role within NATO, especially
Occupation (MAWO) held their monthly antiwar
as Canada will be leading a battalion in Latvia and
rally and petition campaign in downtown Vancoucontributing fighter jets, weaponry and at least
ver, in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. With
450 soldiers to this war drive.
picket signs, banners and chants of “Saudi Arabia
Mobilization Against War and Occupation continHands Off Yemen!” anyone walking by on the
ues to organize its monthly antiwar rally and petibusy street could see that here Yemen is not a fortion campaigns, and encourages all peace-loving
gotten war. An information table was busy with
people to come out and get involved in organizing
people stopping to ask for more information, and
against this new era of war and occupation. Check
activists talked to many people walking by who
out www.mawovancouver.org or on twitter @masigned MAWO's petition demanding that Canada
wovan for upcoming events, recent newsletters,
stop its $15 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
and more information.
MAWO chairperson Alison Bodine spoke on the
Saudi Hands Off Yemen! Stop Bombing Yemen!
continued US bombing campaign in Syria and
Canada Out of NATO Now!
their support and funding of the vicious so-called
US/UK/Canada/France/NATO: No to War on
“moderate” Syrian anti-government rebels. Azza
Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan!

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-ISSN-1712-1817FIRE THIS TIME

Vo l u m e 1 0 I s s u e 9 - S e p te m b e r 2 0 1 6

39

Yemeni Protest Against Saudi War. Aug 20, 2016

www. mawovan c o uve r. o r g

Mobilization Against War & Occupation - MAWO

NOT FOR WAR!

MONEY FOR JOBS, HEALTHCARE,
EDUCATION, HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT!

Downtown Vancouver

2pm - Vancouver Art Gallery
Robson St. at Howe St.

Saturday September 24

Saudi Bombing in Yemen

US/UK/CANADA/FRANCE/NATO:
NO TO WAR ON SYRIA, IRAQ, LIBYA, AFGHANISTAN!
TURKEY OUT OF SYRIA AND IRAQ!
NO TO ISLAMOPHOBIA!
ISRAEL HANDS OFF PALESTINE!
END THE OCCUPATION NOW!
END THE BLOCKADE OF CUBA!
LIFT ALL SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN!